Gas South Partner Spotlight: City of Refuge

Supporting the communities we serve is an important part of our purpose to Be A Fuel For Good® here at Gas South. And one of the ways we do that is by giving back 5% of our profits each year to great organizations that focus on childhood basic needs, education and health. As Georgia’s most-trusted natural gas provider, we’re committed to helping these children gain access to opportunities that will help ensure they have successful futures.

Last year, to create more meaning and impact, we narrowed our charitable focus to 10 non-profit groups. We refer to them as our Fuel For Good Allies, and they receive the lion’s share of our donations and volunteer efforts in 2023 and 2024. Our total donations in 2023 came to $4.5 million, with our Fuel For Good Allies receiving $3.7 million of that money.

City of Refuge is one of those organizations, as their work aligns beautifully with our purpose to support children in need. It was founded by Atlanta Pastor Bruce Deal in response to pleas for help from the community in the late 1990s and officially opened its doors to the public in 2003.

“Gas South has been so proud to partner with City of Refuge over the years,” said Carley Stephens, Gas South Manager of Community Affairs. “They bring light, hope and transformation to women and children who desperately need it. We are continuously grateful for the work they do and the services they provide our Atlanta community.”

Headquartered in Westside Atlanta, City of Refuge has expanded over the years with locations throughout the U.S.—and even in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. In Atlanta, they currently provide a safe space for about 250 homeless women and children looking to better their lives. From offering hot meals, childcare, medical treatment and mental health resources to educational opportunities, job training and help finding homes, City of Refuge has proven to be an important group to the Atlanta community.

Last year, Gas South gave the non-profit $325,000 to help pay for the expansion of City of Refuge’s City School and for continued support of the already-established Gas South STEAM lab there—STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math. Both programs provide educational opportunities for school-aged children.

And our support goes beyond donating money, as we’re also committed to rolling up our sleeves and pitching in with volunteer work. Our own John Stiles, Vice President of IT, for example, regularly makes time to lend his expertise and guidance.

“Among other services, City of Refuge provides job training to help prepare unemployed and underemployed individuals find meaningful careers,” Stiles said. “One of their job training programs is called the Tech Transformation Academy, which provides scholarships for qualified individuals to attend a full-time rigorous program designed for careers in either Web/Software Development or Cybersecurity. Through attending their networking and volunteering events, I help current students and recent grads connect with Atlanta-based tech professionals, enabling them to explore career opportunities and receive valuable advice on resume writing and job placement.”

To date, City of Refuge has helped more than 35,000 people across the country and internationally. Gas South is honored to play a small part in their success. And we’re thankful to each customer who’s automatically part of helping us make that difference. Thanks for reading about our partnership with City of Refuge, and be sure to stay tuned as we continue to highlight our other charitable partners through our blogs and social media posts.