UGI s Community Relations Team Thea Phalon 610-807-3140 tphalon@ugi.com East Region Ann Blaskiewicz 570-829-8659 ablaskiewicz@ugi.com North Region Tammie Lowry 717-255-4315 tlowry@ugi.com West Region Lori Hoffman 610-796-3536 lhoffman@ugi.com Companywide Making a difference in our communities www.ugi.com
Message from the President In the summer of 2017, I had the privilege of presenting a Community Partner donation to the American Red Cross in support of their Home Fire Prevention Campaign. This was the third year UGI Utilities made a significant gift to the American Red Cross to support this important program, which provides fire prevention awareness and smoke detector installations in communities we serve. UGI is a proud sponsor of this initiative, which has undoubtedly saved lives. A number of you have personally supported this program by volunteering as team members visiting homes to provide safety information and install detectors. What was most memorable for me from that event was the thank you we received for the good work and effort provided by UGI volunteers. While the financial support UGI Utilities provides is important, it is the effort of volunteers like you that really makes the difference. As I visit offices across our service territory and interact with fellow employees, I am continually impressed with the care and commitment demonstrated every day. Thank you for your outstanding effort. UGI has a long tradition of supporting the many communities we serve. Our employees engage in activities such as encouraging children to read, delivering meals to the home-bound, cleaning and repairing community parks and facilities, and coaching youth sport programs, just to name a few. In addition to donating time, our employees continue to be generous in their giving to the annual United Way campaign that provides much needed financial assistance to human service agencies across our service territory. While I am proud of the efforts of our employee volunteers, you should know the leaders of our community organizations are extremely impressed by your contributions. I invite you to read the testimonials in this report, authored by leaders from community organizations supported by UGI Utilities and its employees, describing the importance and impact of your involvement with them. You will find heartfelt expressions of appreciation for everything you do. To each and every employee who has gone the extra mile and provided assistance to the many vital social service programs in our region, please accept my personal thanks. Robert F. Beard
Commitment to the communities we serve. For more than 135 years, UGI and its employees have not only delivered safe and reliable energy, but we have also demonstrated an enduring dedication to the quality of life in the cities and towns in which we live and work. 2017 COMMUNITY RELATIONS REPORT A commitment to the community is a core value embraced by UGI and its more than 1,600 employees. In 2017, 709 UGI employees donated 60,105 hours of their time to support initiatives that promoted early childhood literacy, provided potentially life-saving home fire preparedness, delivered meals to senior citizens, generated greater student interest in science and technology careers, and supported many other critical local and regional initiatives. Highlights of the past year s community involvement include: n UGI has supported early childhood literacy since 1991 with its continuing commitment to Reading Is Fundamental. UGI now gives books to more than 18,000 first grade students each year and has handed out more than 400,000 books over the course of the UGI-RIF partnership. n UGI has supported the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign in eastern and central Pennsylvania since the program s inception in 2014. Employees have installed smoke alarms and helped families develop home fire preparedness plans throughout the state. Nationwide, the campaign has saved more than 330 lives and has installed more than 1.1 million smoke alarms. n UGI supports a number of education organizations focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) activities and career readiness. UGI employee volunteers enriched programs such as Science Projects Are Really Kids Stuff (S.P.A.R.K.S.), local science and technology camps and summits, and initiatives designed to encourage women to consider science-based professions. n UGI and its employees provided critical financial support to 29 local United Way Chapters across Pennsylvania. Employees alone contributed nearly $300,000 to support critical health and human services.
United Way UGI s partnership with United Way and its local chapters span the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. UGI and its employees support 29 local United Way annual campaigns. Beyond monetary contributions, UGI employees also donate their time to various United Way Day of Caring events throughout our service area, as well as to United Way supported agencies throughout the year. In 2017, employees donated $296,568 to United Way chapters across Pennsylvania; UGI retirees contributed an additional $14,625. This is the fourth year in a row UGI has set a record for United Way pledges and contributions. When added to the corporate contributions of $313,300, UGI provided nearly $625,000 of financial assistance. UGI is synonymous with energy. For many, UGI enables us to have light, warmth and comfort in our homes and businesses. When it comes to support of the community, however, this might be where UGI s energy is strongest and the light they shine is the brightest. UGI has been a long time partner of the United Way of Wyoming Valley. The Company has powered our work to reduce childhood poverty in our community with vision, leadership and generosity. Every year, UGI employee and corporate support is a very significant part of our campaign and, for more than two decades, their volunteer efforts for the United Way s Annual Day of Caring has been beyond exceptional. UGI s kindness and generosity results in meaningful changes for children and families in need and for our entire community. Thanks for being great leaders and partners. We couldn t be more grateful! Bill Jones President and Chief Executive Officer United Way of Wyoming Valley
UGI Outreach in Education UGI s support of education is based on the importance of students being prepared to enter the workforce and ensure the vitality of our communities for generations to come. UGI employees have consistently volunteered for a number of programs designed to enhance the academic achievement of area students, and UGI provides more than $1 million in financial support each year to programs that support early childhood literacy, career planning and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives. Since 1991, the UGI Reading Is Fundamental partnership has served as a centerpiece of UGI s commitment to literacy, which directly impacts economic and workforce development. Research demonstrates that children who are unable to read at grade level by Grade 4 have difficulty mastering academic subjects throughout their education. This lack of success often limits a student s post-secondary and career options. Over the past decade, UGI has expanded that commitment to education to include a number of STEM-related and career preparation programs. Having a generous donor such as UGI Utilities partner with us has enabled The S.P.A.R.K.S. Foundation to bring its experiential STEM programs to more than 33,000 students in the last 4 years. Wow! When we can reach students, especially students in lower socio-economic schools, who might never consider a future career in the sciences and change their minds about that, it s a win-win not just for those students but for the communities in which they ll live and work as adults. Together, we are setting up these kids for a brighter future. Education is a game-changer and for UGI to stand so strongly behind that fact by supporting our programs is enormously valuable to every area within their footprint. We like to ask potential business donors, What imprint will you leave on the next generation? Well, UGI Utilities has answered that question by positively affecting schools in their region, not just with financial support through the EITC program, but with an enthusiastic group of volunteers too. Thank you, UGI! Julie Merrill Executive Director The S.P.A.R.K.S. Foundation
UGI Outreach in Education Among the initiatives supported by UGI are: n Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, has developed the Science and Math Applications in Real-World Technologies (SMART) Girls program to counter an alarming academic and social trend: girls tend to shy away from math and science as they enter adolescence and their important high school years. SMART Girls provides young women the opportunity to experience math and science as a foundation for careers in technology. Similarly, the Wilkes University W.E.B.S. (Women Empowered by Science) is a summer camp designed to energize young women attending 7th and 8th grade about careers in science and technology. n The Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown provides school field trip workshops and outreach programs. These hands-on programs excite students about science, strengthen their understanding of science content, and raise their awareness of STEM careers. n The SHINE (Students and Homes in Education) program is an awardwinning, after-school initiative that serves Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne Counties. The program focuses on science and technology and was selected as one of 10 STEM programs for inclusion in the national initiative STEM Learning Ecosystems. n Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster offers a dual enrollment program for high school students interested in technology careers. In addition, the Adopt A Kindergarten program introduces students to hands-on-technology in various professional fields. The program includes both classroom demonstrations and a visit to the Thaddeus Stevens campus. n The Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce works with a consortium of educators and employers to offer programs in leadership and character education for elementary-aged students, as well as a Classroom in the Mall, which offers high-school students the opportunity to explore career options.
Employee Volunteer Policy UGI has a long-standing policy allowing full-time employees to volunteer in community activities during scheduled work hours. The policy encourages employee involvement in community service and education-related activities. In 2017, UGI adapted its time-release policy to allow 16 hours of paid release time per calendar year to include both educationrelated and community activities coordinated by the Community Relations department. In addition, employees may volunteer up to four pre-scheduled work hours each month during normal business hours for other opportunities that assist community-based organizations provided the time is made up within the same pay period. Activities that apply to the volunteer policy include: Reading Is Fundamental Tutoring and Mentoring programs United Way Day of Caring American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign Other Company-sponsored activities including S.P.A.R.K.S, Meals on Wheels, etc. For more than 27 years, through a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental, UGI has enabled 1st grade students across Pennsylvania the opportunity to reach their full potential with the life-changing power of literacy. Literacy is an essential life skill and each year for the last 27 years, UGI has impacted students in 150 schools throughout Pennsylvania with books and resources. The Reading Is Fundamental Books for Ownership program, supported through UGI s amazing commitment to the children of Pennsylvania, allows these students to select a book to call their own at events hosted in schools throughout the year. The program is supplemented with support materials for educators and parents, along with digital support materials and motivational activities to deepen engagement with these books and create a culture of literacy for these children that will last a lifetime. UGI s impact is even greater thanks to its employee volunteer program. Alicia Levi President & CEO Reading Is Fundamental
UGI and Community Outreach UGI supports many community organizations across Pennsylvania. Hundreds of UGI employees offer their time and talents to local organizations that include: Churches and religious organizations Fire companies Pet shelters, animal rescue and adoption centers Parent-Teacher Organizations and other education-related initiatives Youth sports Food banks and homeless shelters Economic development and revitalization groups and organizations Mental health and drug/alcohol addiction organizations Fraternal and civic organizations Libraries UGI has been a fantastic partner to Community Bike Works! The UGI team helped us jump start our garden in East Allentown, creating the opportunity for our students to have access to fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Volunteers built and delivered our raised beds, amazing compost that helped our vegetables grow beautifully, seeds, plants, and gardening tools. Thea and her team were so generous with their time. Thea came out to help us plant our seedlings and educate the kids on gardening tricks. UGI has been a tremendous partner in building stronger, more resilient communities. The Company s unwavering support of our Home Fire Campaign has enabled us to make thousands of homes safer and prepare families in the event of a home fire emergency. We are grateful for not only the financial support of this important initiative but also the numerous UGI employees who have volunteered their time to better our communities. Jeri Sims Regional Chief Executive Officer American Red Cross Central Pennsylvania Region Once our garden was in, students created salads, salsas and other healthy snacks all summer long. Some of our students don t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, so to have a garden in our backyard where the students can go out, grab a vegetable wash it off, and eat it is amazing. Thank you, UGI! Hana Cannon Program Instructor Community Bike Works
A sampling of specific organizations supported by UGI employees in 2017 include: Adopt-a-Highway American Cancer Society American Heart Association Appalachian Trail Conservancy Autism Society of America Ballet Theater of Scranton Berks Community Television (BCTV) Berks Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Berks Nature Boys and Girls Club Boy Scouts of America Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Easter Seals Girl Scouts of America Habitat for Humanity JDRF Make-a-Wish Meals on Wheels NAACP Salvation Army Special Olympics We are so fortunate to have UGI as our Angel Tree Sponsor for the Back Mountain Center. For many, many years, UGI has provided children at our Center with warm winter coats, hats, gloves and winter clothing. For many families, they are not able to purchase these things for their children; so without the support of the Angel Tree, the children would not have what they need for the winter. Not only is UGI gracious enough to sponsor this project but the Company allows their employees to be Santa and his Elves and they are able to deliver the gifts to the children. This in itself says a great deal about the company and how it is committed to organizations in the community. UGI has become such an important part of the lives of the children and families at the Back Mountain Center and has truly made a difference to each and every family that the Company has touched with its kindness and generosity. Debbie Maskalls, Family Worker Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. Back Mountain Center
Customer Assistance UGI recognizes that some individuals and families experience difficulty paying their natural gas or electric bill. UGI offers a comprehensive set of programs designed to assist customers unable to pay their bill despite their best efforts. Customer Assistance Program (CAP) Offers special reduced payment plans and debt forgiveness based on a customer s income and usage. UGI works with 21 community agencies on behalf of more than 19,130 customers. Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) A weatherization program that provides home energy-saving measures to limit heat loss and help lower utility bills. The program is available to low-income customers with higher-than-average energy usage. UGI partners with 10 community agencies, and in 2017, provided home improvement energy-savings initiatives to 438 natural gas and electric customers. The Salvation Army Harrisburg is privileged to partner with UGI to administer their CAP and Operation Share utility assistance programs for local families in need. The UGI programs are the perfect blend of compassion and accountability, allowing us to help clients with utility needs while also providing assistance through other Salvation Army programs. But UGI s partnership with The Salvation Army Harrisburg extends even further, as UGI and its employees support our Summer Youth Enrichment program and other special events. On any given day, our Salvation Army caseworker can be helping a family through the UGI CAP program, while a UGI employee is talking with kids in our youth programs about career opportunities. What a wonderful, full-circle partnership! Thank you, UGI! Kathy Anderson-Martin Director of Philanthropy The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region Operation Share Provides financial assistance to families unable to pay their natural gas or electric bill due to unemployment, disability, significant medical expenses or other hardships. Donations from employees, customers and UGI fund Operation Share. In 2017, Operation Share donations totaled $115,836 and helped 1,146 households. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) A federal program that offers financial assistance to qualified income-eligible customers. In 2017, 32,457 customers received $7,725,972 in LIHEAP grants with the assistance of UGI s Customer Outreach team. Customer Assistance and Referral Evaluation Services (CARES) Provides referrals to community-based agencies and programs for those in need during a temporary crisis. CARES operates through a series of local social agencies.