We Keep Life Moving for our communities

Supporting Our Veterans

Veterans Training Program We partnered with our union, Gas Workers Local 18007, the Utility Workers Union of America’s Power for America Training Trust Fund, and City Colleges of Chicago to create the Utility Workers Military Assistance Program (UMAP) to train veterans to prepare for careers in the natural gas industry. The seven-month program includes classroom instruction and in-field training. Graduates receive 52 college credits for an associate degree, as well as a Gas Utility Worker Advanced Certification at Dawson Technical Institute, a satellite site of Kennedy-King College. We’ve trained more than 500 veterans through the program. For information on how to participate in this program, visit https://power4america.org/discover/military-programs/.

Career Development

Peoples Energy Training Center The state-of-the-art facility provides annual training to more than 1,600 utility workers and fire officials across the region, while also supporting much-needed vocational programming to prepare Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students for future jobs in the natural gas and energy field.

The 100,000-square-foot training center, located at 4228 W. 35th Place, features indoor and outdoor training areas, including a fully functioning natural gas delivery system with 20 structures for training in system maintenance, natural gas leak investigation, excavation and directional drilling. The campus also includes an area for fire prevention training with the Chicago Fire Department and an area for commercial driver’s license training.

CONSTRUCT Peoples Gas partners with ComEd and Nicor Gas to support CONSTRUCT, a program created to increase the pool of qualified minority candidates for construction industry jobs. Participants receive career guidance, life skills training and practical education. Students can choose from two educational tracks: construction/skills trades or office/customer service.

Other partners include labor unions, social service agencies, and construction and engineering companies. To learn how to apply, call one of the following organizations:

• ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois
  773-342-1539
• Austin Peoples Action Center (APAC)
  773-921-2121
• Chicago Urban League
  773-285-5800
• National Latino Education Institute (NLEI)
  773-247-0707, ext. 257
• Quad County Urban League
  630-851-2203
• SER Jobs for Progress
  708-222-3100
• St. Sabina Employment Resource Center
  773-783-3760
• YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
  312-372-6600 (Chicago) or 312-439-6229 (south suburbs)

Educating Chicago's Youth

Peoples Gas Utility Training Program In partnership with CPS, Peoples Gas created a vocational training program to prepare high school students for jobs in the natural gas and energy field. Students from four area high schools participate in the program, which includes a summer internship, field trips to the Peoples Energy Training Center and after-school courses for seniors to prepare for jobs in the natural gas industry.

Energizing Student Potential (ESP) program A partnership between area utilities and the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, the Energizing Student Potential (ESP) program works to develop the future scientists and engineers of Illinois. ESP brings together standards-based classes for use in the classroom or afterschool programs for students in grades five through eight. The program provides tools for students and teachers to learn about and teach their communities about energy.

Support for Chicago Public Schools' students Peoples Gas supports the students, parents and teachers of the Chicago Public Schools through a variety of activities. Our engineers lead science clubs at 16 middle schools and are judges — along with other company employees — at the annual CPS Student Science Fair. Our Super Savers energy-efficiency education program teaches students how to save energy. We offer opportunities for our employees to volunteer at work as tutors for CPS students. And we support many area nonprofits providing services in the schools, from counseling to environmental education.

Cubs Charities Peoples Gas supports Cubs Charities’ RBI Scholars Program for student athletes. Approximately 140 students across several Chicago high schools and the Cubs RBI league participate in RBI Scholars every year. The program helps student athletes develop the skills needed to succeed in school, maintain game eligibility and maximize potential for earning college scholarships.

Serving Those in Need

The Night Ministry The Night Ministry provides resources and support to people struggling with poverty or homelessness. In addition to financial support from the company, Peoples Gas employee volunteers normally assemble 200 sack suppers each month for The Night Ministry to distribute to clients. Due to COVID-19, we had to pivot, and are now partnering with local businesses to provide packaged meals on our behalf. Volunteers also put together hygiene kits distributed to clients each winter.

Commitment to Community Day Every April, in partnership with Rebuilding Together, Peoples Gas employees volunteer to spend a day making much-needed repairs to a neighborhood-based service organization. The company’s Commitment to Community Day is its most popular volunteer event, drawing more than 200 employees, family members and friends annually. Organizations benefiting from Commitment to Community Day include homeless shelters, counseling centers, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and other nonprofit groups.

Special Olympics Chicago A team of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas employees, family and friends raised nearly $178,000 for Special Olympics Chicago at the 2020 Chicago Polar Plunge. Peoples Gas sponsors the annual fundraiser at North Avenue Beach, which supports year-round programs for more than 7,500 athletes involved in Special Olympics programs in the area. Peoples Gas also provides direct funding to Special Olympics Chicago.

Angel Tree Program Every holiday season, Peoples Gas employees purchase and wrap nearly 500 gifts for children and adults in need. Community partners for 2020 include:

• Casa Central
• Chicago Commons
• New Moms

White Sox Charities Chicago White Sox Charities contributes to nonprofit organizations across the Chicago metropolitan area committed to causes such as fighting cancer, improving the lives of youth through education, assisting at-risk children and families, and supporting health and wellness programs. Peoples Gas supports White Sox Charities through its Ks for a Cause initiative.

Sustaining the Environment

Seven Generations Ahead Since 2008, Seven Generations Ahead has educated Chicago students about waste reduction and helped schools increase recycling, eliminate waste sources and compost food scraps through its Zero Waste Schools program. Peoples Gas has provided funding for curriculum development and a commercial composting initiative in 14 participating schools. Through recycling, composting and food recovery, the schools divert roughly 85% of their waste from landfills.

Get Growing Foundation The Get Growing Foundation’s mission is to inspire, educate and motivate the next generation of gardeners through community outreach and education. Community impact projects, such as Arbor Day plantings, Earth Day cleanups and educational gardens, are at the core of their mission.

Friends of the Chicago River Founded by concerned citizens of Chicago, Friends of the Chicago River helps to initiate policies toward improving the water quality of the river so that it can support native plants, fish and other wildlife, as well as a variety of recreational uses and education and outreach programs.

Economic development and programs

System Modernization Program Dedicated professionals have provided safe, reliable natural gas service to residents and businesses in Chicago for 170 years. This commitment to safety and reliability is ongoing, and the System Modernization Program is bringing necessary improvements to your natural gas service. The program sustains 2,000 highly skilled, well-paying Illinois jobs. Our ongoing work in Chicago neighborhoods created jobs and training for more than 450 military veterans through the Utility Workers Military Assistance Program.

Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program The program offers incentives to encourage business customers to make energy-efficient improvements, and helps businesses reduce their energy use and shrink their carbon footprint with assistance from our energy efficiency experts. Chicago Public Schools, the Art Institute of Chicago and Presence Health are just a few of our business customers that have benefited from the program. Rebates, programs and incentives are also available through the program, for residential customers.

Supplier diversity Our Supplier Diversity Initiative is designed to increase access, procurement opportunities, and use of minority-, women-, service disabled- and veteran-owned businesses through the purchase of products and services. Many of these businesses have greatly benefited from working with us on our System Modernization Program. By continuing these partnerships, we are sustaining our commitment to the economic growth and revitalization of the city of Chicago.

New businesses Peoples Gas is committed to supporting new businesses in Chicago. We offer a variety of services to help you complete your construction plans. With 170 years of experience, we work to provide excellent customer service in promptly connecting new service facilities.