TULSA, Okla. – April 10, 2020 – ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS) today announced the ONE Gas Foundation will donate $250,000 to non-profit organizations in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas to provide emergency relief assistance to residents impacted by COVID-19.
“We know the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic are dramatically affecting people’s lives in ways we’ve never seen before,” said Robert Babcock, executive director of the ONE Gas Foundation. “We’re grateful for the invaluable service so many community partners are providing vulnerable populations, and we’re pleased the ONE Gas Foundation is able to help.”
The donated funds will be available through established community nonprofit organizations throughout the company’s operating areas, including the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Austin Community Foundation, El Paso Community Foundation, Tulsa Community Foundation, Topeka Community Foundation and Wichita Community Foundation.
“People who never thought they would need help are now finding themselves facing a new reality,” said Tulsa Area United Way President and CEO, Alison Anthony. “I know that those who can will help today, realizing that they may be the ones who need help down the road.”
According to Brent Stewart, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Kansas City, one of the Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund's coordinating organizations, their ONE Gas grant will help support more than 100 area organizations addressing critical needs associated with the pandemic. “There has been a 25% increase in requests for assistance to the United Way’s 211 information and referral service and the volume of calls continues to grow. These numbers affirm our belief that the COVID-19 crisis and its economic impacts will affect our community’s most vulnerable the most—low income families with children, older adults and people with disabilities,” said Stewart.
“We are seeing record need at this time, and realize all the more how far every dollar will go to help those in our community most affected by the COVID crisis,” said David Smith, Chief Executive Officer, United Way for Greater Austin. “In the past, Texas Gas Service has always stepped up in a big way, and this is no exception.”
Additional Help for Customers
ONE Gas’ distribution companies have also extended its suspension of disconnects due to nonpayment through May 1 to lessen any financial hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic. A new resources page has been created for customers seeking quick access to information related to making payments and getting assistance.
For example, the Share The Warmth program provides energy assistance to those whose immediate financial resources simply cannot cover their home-heating expenses.
“We wanted to make it easy for customers to learn of the variety of ways available to them for either paying their bill or applying for bill assistance,” said Babcock. “We also included a list of available resources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has that may help customers and businesses during the pandemic.”
Customers can learn more at ONEGas.com/coronavirus
ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS) is a 100-percent regulated natural gas utility, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "OGS." ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States.
ONE Gas, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, provides natural gas distribution services to more than 2 million customers in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Its divisions include Kansas Gas Service, the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas; Oklahoma Natural Gas, the largest in Oklahoma; and Texas Gas Service, the third largest in Texas, in terms of customers.
For more information, visit the website at www.onegas.com.