UGI Utilities, Inc., will recognize the commitment to volunteerism of its employees and conduct a number of community service activities during National Volunteer Week, which runs April 18 through April 24, 2021.
UGI’s commitment to supporting the communities it serves across Pennsylvania did not change because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company and its employees worked with partner organizations to find innovative ways to deliver services to those in need.
Despite the pandemic, 477 UGI employees provided financial support and safely donated more than 31,400 hours to local, regional, and statewide initiatives. UGI also began a Helping from Home initiative in April 2020 to assist employees interested in making a difference in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic on such activities as making masks with home sewing machines, creating face shields from their personal 3D printers to donate to medical professionals, and assisting in virtual fundraising activities and other “contactless” events.
In addition, UGI Utilities employees, along with employees from its affiliate UGI Energy Services and its parent UGI Corp, provided more than $600,000 in support of local food banks to address food insecurity during the crisis.
“As we have always done through our nearly 140-year history, UGI and its employees responded to meet the needs of our communities,” Keith Dorman, UGI vice president of communications and community relations, said. “UGI and our employees used innovative approaches to meet the most immediate needs created by the pandemic.”
UGI employees will participate in a number of volunteer activities during National Volunteer Week. This year’s activities will focus on two major areas.
The first initiative will focus on assisting regional food banks in packaging boxes for distribution to families experiencing food insecurity. Together, these organizations serve counties across the Commonwealth, providing hundreds of organizations with food to provide to tens of thousands of residents.
UGI volunteers will assist the following organizations in this effort:
· Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (Harrisburg and Williamsport) – April 20;
· Second Harvest of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania (Lehigh Valley) – April 20;
· Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (Wilkes-Barre) - April 21;
· Crispus Attucks Community Center (Lancaster) - April 21;
· Helping Harvest (Reading) – April 29.
The second initiative will assist community organizations in spring clean-up, maintenance, and beautification activities. UGI is participating in these events in commemoration of Earth Day, which will be observed on April 22.
UGI volunteers will assist the following organizations in these activities:
· D&H Rail Trail Tree Planting (Archbald) – April 19;
· Good Samaritan Services (Ephrata) – April 22;
· Spring “Spruce Up” at Lauer’s Park Elementary School (Reading) – April 23;
· Improvements at Habitat for Humanity Lehigh Valley ReStore (Lehigh Valley) – April 27;
· Wildwood Park (Harrisburg) – April 29.
In addition, UGI employees will also participate in the following community efforts:
- Meals on Wheels of Northeast Pennsylvania (throughout week) – UGI employees have written cards for the recipients of Meals on Wheels, which will be included in meals throughout National Volunteer Week.
- Habitat for Humanity “Stuff the Truck” (Lehigh Valley) – April 23 - A Habitat for Humanity truck will be on site at UGI’s Lehigh’s office for employees to drop off household or construction items. Donations will be sold in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
- YWCA Virtual Race Against Racism – April 24 through May 22 – UGI is serving as a sponsor for the 23rd annual YWCA Race Against Racism, the longest-running Race Against Racism in the country. Participants will walk or run a distance of 5K on the organization’s self-guided historic course or their favorite trail, course, or treadmill during the event’s time frame. All proceeds from the race will support the Center for Racial and Gender Equity (CRGE) and the organization's programs of education, training, advocacy and change. As part of UGI’s sponsorship, a number of Company employees will participate in the event.
- American Red Cross “Sound the Alarm” Canvassing (Mountville) – April 30 UGI volunteers will help prepare for an upcoming American Red Cross "Sound the Alarm" smoke alarm installation event by hanging announcements door-to-door in Mountville on April 30. UGI partners locally with the American Red Cross on this nationwide program, which provides free smoke detectors and fire safety education to residents in at-risk neighborhoods in our communities.
In addition to the various community support activities, UGI will post information and highlights about Company National Volunteer Week efforts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ugiutilities), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ugi_utilities), and on the UGI blog, “UGI Connection,” (http://blog.ugi.com).
UGI serves more than 730,000 natural gas and electric customers in 45 counties in Pennsylvania and one county in Maryland.
