Piedmont Natural Gas says low-income people still need help with energy bills, despite warmer temps

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite early and unseasonably warm temperatures, Piedmont Natural Gas today announced a $100K donation to Share the Warmth – a program that helps low-income people pay their energy bills year-round regardless of the type of energy they use.

"It's easy to forget that low-income people struggle all year long with energy bills, not just during the colder months," said Barbara Ashford, director of community relations for Piedmont Natural Gas. "Share the Warmth helps people no matter the time of year, and it pays for any form of energy they need to keep themselves and their families healthy and safe."

Piedmont now is asking its customers to join them in giving to Share the Warmth by signing up for the company's "Round Up" program, which allows Piedmont to round up a customer's monthly bill to the nearest dollar. The most Piedmont can round up, or collect, from any one customer is $12 per year.

"The more customers who enroll in Share the Warmth Round Up, the more people we can help," Ashford continued, "All funds stay in the communities where we collect them, and they are distributed through approved partner agencies we know and trust."

All proceeds from the Round Up program go directly to Share the Warmth, and Piedmont pays all administrative fees, so 100 percent of each donation makes it to a person or family in need.

Since 2003, Piedmont's Share the Warmth program has provided more than $2.9 million to help low-income families and individuals pay their energy bills – all of which was made possible by contributions from Piedmont's Round Up customers, community members, the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation and the company itself.

How to Enroll

Piedmont Natural Gas customers can sign up for Share the Warmth Round Up by calling the company at 1.800.752.7504, visiting www.piedmontng.com, or by filling out the form on the back of their bill.

Non-customers can make a contribution by mailing a check to the following address:

Piedmont Natural Gas/Share the Warmth
Attention: Community Relations
4720 Piedmont Row Drive
8th Floor
Charlotte NC 28210

About Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Its subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, regulated interstate natural gas transportation and storage, and regulated intrastate natural gas transportation businesses. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available at www.piedmontng.com.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. 

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Media contact: Jennifer Sharpe
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SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas