Our Programs
Read on to learn more about our programs, including Eat, Drink, Help and S.A.F.E.
Peoples and the Community
Our community commitment is an essential part of our mission to make lives better.
The Peoples team came together with thousands of attendees to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk and our president, Mike Huwar, who served as corporate walk chair in 2023. Learn More.
Every year, Peoples supports many worthwhile causes and important community projects. We make a major impact by donating roughly $2.7 million to deserving organizations through our parent company’s charitable arm, the Essential Foundation, but do more than merely providing monetary support. Peoples employees provide thousands of hours of volunteer service to organizations within our communities. We are committed to making an impact and fostering a culture of volunteerism that supports nonprofits and betters lives for our customers and employees.
Peoples serves customers in 18 Western Pennsylvania counties, ranging from the Ohio and West Virginia borders east to Blair County. With roots in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County dating back to 1885, we are the largest natural gas utility in Pennsylvania with more than 700,000 residential and business customers. Peoples also owns and operates Delta Natural Gas, serving more than 40,000 customers in Eastern Kentucky. In addition to providing safe, reliable and affordable energy, Peoples’ Community Relations team works to uplift vital programs and nonprofit organizations throughout our service area. Key programs include:
- Grants through the Essential Foundation
- Eat, Drink, Help grants to support small businesses and local nonprofit organizations. Learn more about this program below.
- S.A.F.E. grants to support volunteer fire departments. Learn more about this program below.
- Essential Earth Days - Why celebrate Earth Day when you can make it a whole month? During March and April, Essential Utilities employees participate in community cleanups, education events, and charitable giving to benefit environmental and community beautification causes throughout our 9-state footprint.
- Fall for Food Banks – During November, Essential employees join forces to fight food insecurity. Partnering with food banks and related service organizations, we pack boxes, stock shelves, and support this cause to make life better for our many neighbors who face food insecurity.
With more than 1,400 employees across two states, we quite literally have our boots on the ground in hundreds of communities every day. But we don't just work in these communities — we live there, too. The same causes that are near-and-dear to your heart also resonate with our employees, which is why it's so important for us to support those organizations.
Eat, Drink, Help Program
About the Program
Celebrating 10 Years! Supporting local by making your everyday purchases go a long way.
Eat, Drink, Help is Peoples’ unique program to elevate both small businesses and community nonprofit organizations. These local outfits are essential to the villages, cities, and towns throughout our service area. Peoples helps power them forward with grants awarded through Eat, Drink, Help. Since the first Eat, Drink, Help program launched in 2016, we’ve contributed more than $234,000 to charitable causes throughout Western Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
To celebrate 10 years of Supporting Local, we’re doubling the dollar amount of the Eat, Drink, Help grant for 2026 participants!
Apply Now! Fill out the form below to apply.
How does Eat, Drink, Help (EDH) work? First, a locally owned business applies and nominates a 501c3 non-profit organization of their choice.
Peoples creates custom labels featuring the logos of the participating business and charity. The labels are placed on the business’ offerings ranging from pizza to pastries to retail products for one month, or until all labels are distributed. At that point, Peoples provides a donation to support the charity’s work!
Eat, Drink, Help’s local to local approach allows Peoples to channel support directly to causes that mean the most to each individual community we serve. We’re excited for EDH to enter its second decade of making life better – apply to be a 2026 partner today! Please use the form below.
Want to Join? Apply now!
If you're a local business or charity and are interested in partnering with Peoples in 2026, then we'd like to hear from you! Please fill out the form below to apply, and email us at Communications@peoples-gas.com with any questions.
Current Partnerships
- Laska's Pizza (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center
- Punxsy Pizza (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center
- Steffey's BBQ Bites & Dairy Delights (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center
Thank you to past participants!
- Pennie’s Bake Shop & Espresso Bar (Butler) – VOICe of Butler County & the Butler Memorial Hospital Caring Angel Program
- Cummings Coffee & Cand (Butler) – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County
- Mazzanti’s Beans & Cream (Butler) – Riding for the Cure
- Butler Hot Dog Shoppe (Butler) – Butler County Humane Society
- Burger Hut 1 & 2 (Butler) – Butler Area Public Library
- Slice on Broadway (North Shore) – Urban Impact
- Carmi Soul Food Restaurant (North Side) – Independent Family Resource Group
- Cummings Coffee & Candy – I’m a Star
- Mac's Donuts (Aliquippa) – B.F. Jones Memorial Library
- The Hoagie Shop (Butler) – American Cancer Society Relay for Life
- Natili's Pizza (Butler) – Butler Fast Pitch
- Pizza Plus (Butler) – Fishing for Memories
- Goodfello's Pizza (Zelienople) – Zelienople Community Park
- Wunderbar Coffee (Harmony) – The Strande Theater
- Freedom Farms Donut Shop (Butler) – Special Olympics of Butler County
- Logan Cafe (BC3 Main Campus) – BC3 Education Foundation
- Natili North (Butler) – Butler County Symphony
- Miller's Shoes (Beaver & Aliquippa) – Beaver County Humane Society
- The Perfect Swing (Butler) – St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
- Crazy Mocha (North Side) - Urban Impact
- The Two Fraus Bakery (Harmony) - Parents in To To Autism Resource Center
- Ippie's Ice Cream (Herman) - Life Choices
- Delanie's Coffee (Pittsburgh) - Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council
- Spring Street Cafe on Main (Zelienople) - Zelienople Downtown Revitalization
- Mazzanti's Beans & Cream (Butler) - Riding for the Cure
- Burger Hut I & II (Butler) - Butler County Emergency Relief Initiative (BERI) (to benefit the July 2017 Flood Victims of the City of Butler)
- Cummings Coffee & Candy (Butler) - Butler County Emergency Relief Initiative (BERI) (to benefit the July 2017 Flood Victims of the City of Butler)
- Tani's Pizza (Butler) - Butler County Emergency Relief Initiative (BERI) (to benefit the July 2017 Flood Victims of the City of Butler)
- Five Star Pizza (Pikeville, Kentucky) - Pike Coiunty Animal Shelter
- Stevie's Dari Mart (Aliquippa) - B-24 Strong Youth Center
- Starlight Drive-in (Butler) - It's About The Warrior Foundation
- Fredo's Deli (Dormont) - The Hollywood Theater
- Cafe Kolache (Beaver) - Adoption Connection PA
- Fly Girls Cafe (Beaver) - Beaver County Air Heritage Museum
- Titan Cafe (Beaver) - Community College of Beaver County
- Family Bowlaway Fun Center (Butler) - Lifesteps
- Coffee Brake (Evans City) - VOICe of Butler County
- Tin Man Sweets Bake Shoppe (Zelienople) - Portersville Christian School
- Pennie's Bake Shop (Butler) - Twilight Wish Foundation
- Pizza Pie (Butler) - Katie's Kitchen
- Saxonburg Coffee & Tea (Saxonburg) - March of Dimes
- Brenckle's Farms & Greenhouses (Butler) - Caitlyn's Cavalry
- Schnur's Greenhouse (Butler) - Wes Stock 2.0
- King Cones Castle (Butler) - It's About The Warrior Foundation
- Fun Fore All (Cranberry) - Cranberry TWP Community Chest
- P&B Sweets and Eats (Evans City) - EDCO Park Foundation
- Beaver Bagel Co. (Bridgewater) - Beaver County Humane Society
- The Perfect Swing (Butler) - St. Vincent de Paul Food Cupboard
- Big Y Market ( Littcarr, KY) - Lighthouse Baptist Church Youth Program
- Five Star Pizza (Pikeville, KY) - Shriners Hospital of Lexington
- Starlight Drive-in (Butler) - Armstrong Healinig Heroes
- Foodie Fridays (Butler) - Butler Downtown
- Mars Brew House (Mars) - Mars Home of the Youth
- Portogallo Peppers N'At (Braddock) - Oli's Angels
- Fly Girls Cafe (Beaver County Airport) - Air Heritage, Inc.
- Caffe Barista (Greensburg) - The Palace Theatre
- Luciano's Pizza (Bethel Park) - Family Promise of Southwestern PA
- Nesbit's Lanes (Pittsburgh) - Friends to Friends
- The Pastry Box (Bellwood) - The Door Student Services
- Saxonburg Coffee & Tea (Saxonburg) - Orphans of the Storm
- Cunningham's Caif'e (Indiana) - Alice Paul House
- Muriale's Restaurant (Fairmont, WV) - Soup Opera
- The Cafe at Triangle Market (Martin, KY) - East Kentucky House of Hope
- Five Star Pizza (Pikeville, KY) - Disabled American Veterans
- Mainstreet Bake Shop (Saxonburg) - South Butler Community Library
- Bruster's (Aliquippa) - Ohio River Trail Council
- Cummings Coffee & Candy (Butler) - Dollar Energy Fund
- Tani's Pizza (Butler) - Mercer Road Volunteer Fire Department
- Thoma Meat Market (Saxonburg) - Robin's Home
- Brose's Superette (Butler) - Riding for the Cure
- The Butler Hot Dog Shoppe (Butler) - Kid's Weekend Backpack Program
- Donte's Pizzeria (South Park) - Bridge to Home Animal Rescue
- Nippers Pizzeria (Pittsburgh) - Pittsburgh Hires Veterans
- Penn Street Pizza (Butler) - Emily Brittain PTO
- The Two Fraus Bakery (Harmony) - VOICe of Butler County
- Wagsburgh (Pittsburgh) - The Proper Pit Bull
- R-Place Restaurant (Elizabeth) - Make A Wish
- The Crack'd Egg (Brentwood) - Drop the Puck on Cancer
- D's Six Pax & Dogz (Regent Square) - Wilkins School Community Center
- Miller's Quality Meats (Butler) - St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank
- Steele's Brushes & Lushes (Butler) - Butler Art Center
- Lily Bees (Waynesburg) - Hands & Feet Ministries
- Everydays A Sunday (Pittsburgh) - Assemble Pittsburgh
- Muriale's (Fairmont, WV) - Fairmont State University's Falcons Nest Food Bank
- The Pastry Box (Bellwood) - Bellwood-Antis Public Library
- Brady's Roadhouse (Waynesburg) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Bugsy's Pizza (Kittanning) - Salvation Army of Kittanning
- Donny B's BBQ (Butler) - Butler County Soccer Association
- Five Star Pizza (Pikeville, KY) - Appalachian Pregnancy Center
- Lernerville Speedway (Sarver) - Autism Society of Pittsburgh
- Ozy's Bar & Grill (Clarksville) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Punxsy Pizza (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Area Community Center
- Scotty's Pizza (Waynesburg) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Silver Linings Cafe (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Groundhog Little League
- Sorella's Pizzeria (Mt. Morris) - Butterfly Angels - The McKinley Anne Foundation
- Upper Crust Shop (Butler) - Emily Brittain PTO
- Saxonburg Coffee & Tea (Saxonburg) - Freinds of the Saxonburg Police Department
- Mars Candy Land (Mars) - Butler County Humane Society
- Downtown Bagel House (Butler) - Butler County Humane Society
- East Kentucky Enterprises LLC (Pikeville, KY) - Moody Radio 90.1 FM
- Valencia Donuts (Valencia) - Butler County Humane Society
- Grumpy's Pizza (Worthington) - Orphans of the Storm
- Leila Jo's Cafe & Bakery (Punxsutawney) - Lisa's Ladybugs
- Muriale's Restaurant (Fairmont, WV) - Sobrania, Inc./Soup Opera
- Upper Crust Shop (Butler) - Robin's Home
- Dorothy's Candies (White Oak) - Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
- Peter's Chocolate Shoppe (Butler) - The Lighthouse Foundation
- Zacherl's Tavern & Restaurant (Saxonburg) - Riding for the Cure
- Phillippi's Family Dining & Pizzeria (Natrona Heights) - Prospect Cemetery
- Upper Crust (Butler) - The Maridon Museum
- Laska's Pizza (Punxsutawney) - P.R.I.D.E.
- Downtown Bagel House (Butler) - Joey's P.A.W.
- Frank's Star Lunch (Punxsutawney) - Lisa's Ladybugs Patient Care
- Lernerville Speedway (Sarver) - Autism Society of Pittsburgh
- Brady's Roadhouse (Waynesburg) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Burgers and More (Waynesburg) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Cummings Coffee & Candy (Butler) - Brother's Brother Foundation - Ukraine Relief Fund
- Kiln to Table (Waynesburg) - Daniel Davis Scholarship - Community Foundation of Greene County
- Mona's Chocolates (New Wilmington) - Center for the Environment
- Muriale's Restaurant (Fairmont, WV) - Soup Opera
- Rachel's Roadhouse (Butler) - Butler Area Midget Football League
- Scotty's Pizza (Waynesburg) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Sorella's Pizzeria (Mt. Morris) - Butterfly Angels - The McKinley Anne Foundation
- Steele's Brushes & Ceramics (Butler) - Robin's Home
- Upper Crust (Butler) - It's About The Warrior Foundation
- Pizza Town Pizzeria Trattoria (Punxsutawney) - Western PA CARES
- Punxysutawney Pizza (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Area Community Foundation
- Romeo's Pizzeria (Indiana) - Indiana County Community Action Program
- Wells' Sweet Treats (Creekside) - Indiana County Humane Society
- Tani's Pizza (Butler) - Twilight Wish Foundation
- Vintage Coffeehouse (Butler) - Robin's Home
- Back Home BBQ & Brew Co. (Evans City) - Butler County Humane Society
- Bob's Sub & Sandwich Shop (Slippery Rock) - Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh
- Fenelton Market (Fenelton) - Orphans of the Storm
- Lernerville Speedway (Sarver) - Autism Pittsburgh
- Schnurs' Country Market (Butler) - Change for Cancer
- J & M Export Delie (Export) - Riding for the Cure
- Putneyville Store (New Bethlehem) - PWAC (Progressive Workshop of Armstrong County)
- Seybert's Gas & Nat (Cowansville) - Karns City Communities that Care
- Harvey's Sweet Shoppe (Butler) - CANDLE, Inc.
- Schmidt's Rustproofing (Valencia) - Center for Community Resources
- Excise Distillery (Patton) - Highlander Foundation
- Herman Mini Mart (Herman) - Camo Cares
- JMac Cycling LLC (Butler) - Butler Catholic School
- Gearhart's Grab N Go (Dayton) - Shannock Valley Community Food Pantry
- Groundhog Grindz (Punxsutawney) - Grady's Decison
- Laska Pizza (Punxsutawney) - Punsutawney Area Community Foundation, Inc.
- Pennie's Bake Shop & Espresso Bar (Butler) - Children's Advocacy of Butler County
- Red Pepper Pizzeria (Worthington) - Sacred Souls Sanctuary
- Totalus (Butler) - Children's Advocacy of Butler County
- Back Home BBQ & Brew Co. (Evans City) - Seneca Valley Weekend Backpack Program
- Novotyn's Pizza (Saxonburg) - Friends of Saxonburg Museum
- Santo's Pizza (Johnstown) - New Day Inc.
- Upper Crust (Butler) - It's About the Warrior
- Vin & Joe's Inn (Butler) - Butler County Soccer Association
- 1833 Coffee & Tea Company (Freeport) - Freeport Area Meals on Wheels
- Putneyville Store (Putneyville) - Dayton District Volunteer Fire Department
- Simplified Meals by Ginger (Slippery Rock) - Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard
- Leechburg Pizza Co. (Leechburg) - Gilpin - Leechburg Park
- Groundhog Grindz (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Memorial Library
- Punxsy Pizza (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Memorial Library
- Totally Caked (Punxsutawney) - Punxsutawney Memorial Library
- Vivian's Bakehouse (Freeport) - Freeport Council of Churches Food Bank
- Upper Crust (Butler) - Emily Brittain PTO Playground Project
- 5Kidz Kandy Cafe & Catering (Waynesburg) - Colby's Stars Foundation
- Excise Distillery (Patton) - Humane Society of Cambria County
- HOSHI (Pittsburgh) - YWCA Greater Pittsburgh
- YAJAGOFF (Pittsburgh) - Pittsburgh Emergency Medicine Foundation
- Fun Fore All (Cranberry TWP) – The Pittsburgh Project
- Saxonburg Coffee & Tea (Saxonburg) – Friends of the Saxonburg Police
- Aroma Joe’s (Indiana) – Society of St. Vincent De Paul
- Gearhart’s Grab & Go (Dayton) – HAVIN (Helping All Victims In Need) Foundation
- Nothing Bundt Cakes (Cranberry TWP) – Seneca Valley Foundation
- Driftwood Oven (Lawrenceville) – Lawrenceville United
- Red Pepper Pizza (Worthington) – Sacred Souls Sanctuary
- BeBe Kakes (Mars) – Mars Home For Youth
- Novo Café (New Kensington) – Reagan’s Journey
- Simplified Meals by Ginger (Slippery Rock) - Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard
- Leechburg Pizza (Leechburg) - Orphans of the Storm
- Santo’s Pizza (Johnstown) – Bible2School
- Back Home BBQ & Brew Co. (Evans City) - Butler County Humane Society
- Butler Hot Dog Shoppe (Butler) - Unionville Volunteer Fire Company
- Bruno's Pizzeria (Gibsonia) - Hampton TWP Volunteer Fire Department
- Harvest Moon Coffee & Chocolates (Tarentum) - Allegheny Valley Association of Churches
Support Local Businesses!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see which local business we're partnering with next, so you can stop by and give a local charity your support.
Apply to the Eat, Drink, Help Program:
S.A.F.E. Program
About the program
Sharing Appreciation for Fire Department Excellence (S.A.F.E.) Program
Peoples is committed to making lives better for everyone in our region — the region where our customers and employees live and work. We work hard to keep our communities safe, and we are proud to support the Volunteer Fire Departments that do the same.
To recognize these Volunteer Fire Departments, we created a donation program designed to support them: Sharing Appreciation for Fire Department Excellence, S.A.F.E.
Nominate your VFD or apply for the S.A.F.E. Program
To nominate or apply for the S.A.F.E. Program, the Volunteer Fire Department must be located in Peoples’ service territory and must be a 501(c)(3). Please complete the following application and submit it to Communications@peoples-gas.com or mail it to the address on the application. Please note that a W-9 for the VFD must be included to be considered.
Download the Application