AGL Resources Donates $66,000 to Help Restart ''People Program'' in New Orleans Flooded by Hurricanes
"Directly assisting our City's rebirth by rebuilding valuable community assets like the People Program is invaluable," said New Orleans Councilmember Jackie Clarkson at the presentation at the People Program West Bank campus at Holy Spirit. "On behalf of the many New Orleans residents who will benefit from having the People Program up and running again, we thank AGL Resources," she added.
"AGL Resources is very supportive of the well-being of the State of Louisiana, the City of New Orleans, and community education programs like the People Program," said Peter Tumminello, vice president of Corporate Business Development at AGL Resources when he presented a check for $66,387.50 to Mary Catherine Lombard, executive director of the People Program. "Recognizing the importance of the People Program, we want to help the education center continue to provide creative lifelong learning opportunities for those the program serves in New Orleans.
"Generosity of spirit is a fundamental belief of our corporation," Tumminello added. "Supporting those who live in the areas where we operate and supply natural gas is very important to our employees, many of whom also have direct personal ties to the area."
Lombard said, "This generous contribution from AGL Resources will go a long way in helping us rebuild our main campus. Our St. Joseph's Provincial house was badly damaged by flooding caused by the recent hurricanes. We need this facility up and running to continue to reach out and encourage those 50 years and older to enrich their lives through learning. These funds will also enable us to provide quality programs in our temporary facility on the West Bank of the city in Algiers."
AGL Resources through its Pivotal Energy Development (Pivotal) arm operates Jefferson Island Storage & Hub (JISH), a natural gas salt-dome storage facility. Located near the Henry Hub at Erath, Louisiana in Vermillion and Iberia Parishes, JISH has eight employees. Also, through its Sequent Energy Management (Sequent) subsidiary located in Houston, AGL Resources provides gas supplies to many utilities serving many areas of Louisiana.
"Our hearts went out to our employees, friends, families, and neighbors during the recent hurricanes," said Tumminello. "We were able to quickly rebuild at our JISH facility, but know that is not the case for most of the area. Giving to organizations supporting education and community outreach is one of the best ways we know to show we care and assist rebuilding efforts."
A company-wide fundraising campaign got underway at AGL Resources immediately following Hurricane Katrina and continued after Hurricane Rita. To date, approximately $450,000 has been raised from AGL Resources employees, retirees and the AGL Resources Private Foundation. In addition to the People Program, Pivotal donated $60,000 to help rebuild three schools in Erath, La. Sequent contributed $250,000 in corporate donations to Habitat for Humanity, the Houston Katrina Relief Fund, and the Foundation for the MidSouth's Power of Hope Fund. The other AGL Resources funds are assisting American Red Cross and United Way hurricane relief efforts all along the Gulf Coast.
About AGL Resources
AGL Resources (NYSE: ATG), an Atlanta-based energy services holding company, serves 2.3 million customers in six states through its utility subsidiaries - Atlanta Gas Light, Elizabethtown Gas in New Jersey, Virginia Natural Gas, Florida City Gas, Chattanooga Gas, and Elkton Gas in Maryland. A Fortune 1000 company that ranks number 46 in the Fortune gas and electric utilities sector, AGL Resources reported 2004 revenue of $1.8 billion and net income of $153 million. The company also owns Houston-based Sequent Energy Management, an asset manager serving natural gas wholesale customers throughout the East and Midwest. As a 70 percent owner in the SouthStar partnership, AGL Resources markets natural gas to consumers in Georgia under the Georgia Natural Gas brand. AGL Networks, the company's telecommunications subsidiary, owns and operates fiber optic networks in Atlanta and Phoenix. The company also owns and operates Jefferson Island Storage & Hub, a high-deliverability natural gas storage facility near the Henry Hub in Louisiana. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com.
About the AGL Resources Private Foundation
Giving back to the community is one of AGL Resources' (NYSE: ATG) core values. Established in 1998, the AGL Resources Private Foundation, an affiliated, not-for-profit, 501(c) (3) corporation, supports various community initiatives in the areas served by AGL Resources through interest earned on an endowment. Primary giving areas include: Energy assistance (for low-income households and senior citizens); education (public schools, grades K-12 with an emphasis on math, science and technology); and environmental stewardship and community enrichment. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com/community/guidelines.aspx.
About People Program
Founded in the 1970's by Sister Alice Marie Macmurdo, CSJ, and with the encouragement and help of others, a truly active program was created to serve the areas aging population. People Program is a program for people, by people, joining together to share knowledge, crafts, and arts; thus, drawing from each other mental and emotional awareness, physical strength, and, above all, a new feeling of belonging and self-confidence. For more information, visit www.peopleprogram.org.
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