DALLAS (BUSINESS WIRE) Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO - News) said today that it has contributed $184,432 to the tsunami relief efforts of The Salvation Army through corporate contributions and funds donated by employees.
Although Atmos Energy has no operations outside the United States, many of its 4,400 employees were touched by the devastation and the plight of survivors. Funds contributed by company employees were matched dollar-for-dollar, and the corporation contributed an additional $100,000.
"Atmos Energy has worked with The Salvation Army in many of the 1,500 communities that we serve in our country and has the greatest respect for its humanitarian work," said Robert W. Best, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Atmos Energy Corporation. "The Salvation Army is doing an exceptional job of caring for the tsunami victims and applying more than 95 cents of every dollar donated to help those in need."
The Salvation Army is providing emergency shelter, food, water, clothing, nursing care, medical and hospital supplies as well as counseling and pastoral care in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka for victims of South Asia's killer tsunamis.
"We are pleased that Atmos Energy chose The Salvation Army as the recipient of this gift," said Lt. Colonel Robert J. Tritton, divisional commander for Texas. "We are humbled by their confidence in our work and ensure them that through their generosity we will strive to meet the needs of people in Sri Lanka, India and the other countries in which we are working."
Funds donated by Atmos Energy were corporate contributions and were not paid for by the company's natural gas utility customers. Atmos Energy strives to be a good corporate citizen in all communities it serves and has an active charitable contributions program. In addition, company employees routinely volunteer time and expertise to civic organizations.
The U.S. government is also matching contributions for tsunami relief assistance, meaning the funds given by Atmos Energy and its employees will ultimately result in a total donation of approximately $369,000.
Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the largest natural-gas-only utility in the United States, serving about 3.2 million utility customers. Atmos Energy's utility operations serve more than 1,500 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy's nonutility operations, organized under Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc., operate in 18 states. They provide natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers and manage company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipelines in Texas. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.
For more information about The Salvation Army's tsunami relief efforts visit www.salvationarmy.org.
Contact:
Atmos Energy Corporation, Dallas Media Contact Gerald Hunter, 972-855-3116 or Analyst Contact Susan Kappes, 972-855-3729
