Every year on the third Monday of January, our country honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by observing the only federal holiday that is also designated by Congress as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.” Today, as Atmos Energy celebrates the MLK Day of Service, our employees are participating in service opportunities focused on Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities for students, community heroes and our most vulnerable neighbors, and particularly those opportunities that aim to relieve childhood hunger.

According to No Kid Hungry, the only national campaign committed to ending childhood hunger in the U.S., as many as 9 million children in the United States live in "food insecure" homes, and children facing hunger encounter higher risks of health conditions, are more likely to struggle in school and may have difficulties in social situations as they grow older. In addition to our support for No Kid Hungry, Atmos Energy works with local food banks and school districts across the 1,400 communities we serve to ensure more children have access to nutritious breakfasts, afterschool meals, and summer meals for kids without easy access to food when school is out of session.

Coretta Scott King said, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.” From October through December last year, Atmos Energy employees volunteered nearly 10,500 community service hours in the places we call home, and today we look to honor Dr. King’s legacy by continuing to “Make A Difference” and “Bring Out the Best in Others” through our commitment to service.

For more about our year-round dedication to Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities, please visit https://www.atmosenergy.com/community/fueling-safe-and-thriving-communities