While October is Energy Assistance Month, Atmos Energy is mindful of it every month of the year because of our Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities initiative. Atmos Energy recently allocated $4 million to energy assistance agencies and nonprofit organizations across the eight states it serves, one of which is close to the heart of an Atmos Energy employee residing in Lubbock.  

In the spring of 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Elizabeth Walker (Senior Engineer at Atmos Energy) and her church, Aldersgate Church, collected a special offering on Easter Sunday to assist with a large financial need within the congregation. The success of that Easter offering led to a continued fund designed to support community members experiencing a temporary financial crisis. And at the end of 2022, Love the Hub achieved official nonprofit status.  

“We realized the need in our community was greater than what we could manage as a special fund,” said Elizabeth. “We also realized more resources were available if we could expand into a nonprofit. Believing in Love the Hub’s mission, our attorney took care of legal fees and costs, and we went from filing the application to receiving nonprofit status approval in a matter of weeks.” 

Soon after Love the Hub obtained nonprofit status, Elizabeth contacted Brandi Price, Atmos Energy vice president of public affairs, and a partnership quickly formed. Elizabeth knew her company had an Energy Assistance program but was unfamiliar with the process. Atmos Energy became Love the Hub’s first utility partnership. In turn, Love the Hub has become one of Atmos Energy’s largest energy assistance providers in Lubbock. 

“Elizabeth helped create a good marriage between Love the Hub and Atmos Energy,” said Brandi. “Love the Hub’s mission corresponds with Atmos Energy’s Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities initiative by supporting families struggling with food insecurity, providing job training, helping individuals with rent – it’s 100 percent about helping neighbors in need.”  

Love the Hub hosted a Sharing the Warmth blitz event last Fall, handing out a total of $75,000 in funds. At this event, an elderly man secured assistance to pay his natural gas service charge – something he hadn’t been able to do in eight years. Elizabeth recalls he didn’t know about these events or that he could ask for help. “He was overwhelmed realizing his past-due debts were being paid and his natural gas service was coming back on. Witnessing his excitement to have hot water again and be able to cook was very rewarding.” 

Since September 2023, Atmos Energy has donated $102,500 to the nonprofit organization. While the funds are mostly utilized for energy assistance bills, donations also support families and individuals with other imminent needs.  

“Love the Hub has opened my eyes to the needs of our community, and I would have never grasped how many people are struggling if I had not been ‘hands on.’ Watching people’s lives be transformed is extremely fulfilling.”   

Love the Hub is expanding and currently in the pilot stages of introducing a career training program called Hope for the Hub. 

“What started as a onetime offering four years ago has blossomed into a thriving nonprofit organization thanks to the support from trusted community partners and companies like Atmos Energy that believed in Love the Hub and have allowed us to keep growing.” 

To learn more about Love the Hub, click here.