CHARLOTTE, NC – In the spirit of giving and to encourage sharing warmth with neighbors, Mayor Vi Lyles is proclaiming Dec. 12, 2024, as the sixth-annual “Share the Warmth Day” in the city of Charlotte. Share the Warmth is a long-running program from Piedmont Natural Gas that helps provide emergency funding for neighbors who need help paying their energy bills, regardless of the energy source. Piedmont customers can contribute to the fund through the company’s Round Up program; the program also receives money from community donations and a direct contribution from Piedmont itself. “Piedmont’s Share the Warmth program has been helping our neighbors in need stay warm since 2003,” said Brian Weisker, senior vice president and president of Piedmont Natural Gas. “We’ve named December 12, or 12/12, as ‘Share the Warmth Day’ because it’s an easy reminder for customers that for no more than $12 a year, they can make a huge difference in the lives of others. When customers join Piedmont’s Round Up program, we round up their monthly natural gas bill to the nearest dollar and contribute 100% of the difference to Share the Warmth. “This is a perfect opportunity to consider this easy way to aid those in our community struggling to make ends meet. Many customers experience higher-than-normal energy bills at this time of year due to lower temperatures, and Share the Warmth funds are available to help,” Weisker said. To highlight the importance of Share the Warmth’s mission, Piedmont Natural Gas has teamed up with Mayor Lyles in hopes of encouraging Piedmont customers and the community at large to support this program and help keep our neighbors warm this winter. “Charlotte-area residents should never have to worry about how they’ll stay warm during the winter months,” said Mayor Lyles. “My ‘Share the Warmth Day’ proclamation brings awareness to this important issue, and with the help of Piedmont Natural Gas, we are working to keep the heat on and ensure everyone in the Queen City will be safe and comfortable in their homes.” Piedmont offers several easy options for customers to enroll in Share the Warmth: ·Visiting piedmontng.com/ShareTheWarmth and clicking the button to enroll ·Texting SHARE to 21209 (message and data rates may apply) ·Filling out the form on the back of their bill ·Calling Piedmont at 800.752.7504 Non-customers also can visit piedmontng.com/ShareTheWarmth to learn more about how to make an individual contribution to the program. All funds collected through Share the Warmth go to help neighbors in the community where the money is donated, and 100% of contributions are distributed through local nonprofit partners directly to those in need. In Charlotte, Share the Warmth funds are distributed through Piedmont’s nonprofit partner Crisis Assistance Ministry. Assistance from Share the Warmth is available year-round to those struggling to pay their energy bills, regardless of the source of energy they use, including propane, electricity and natural gas. Read more about how Share the Warmth and nonprofit agency Crisis Assistance Ministry have made a difference in the lives of others at Duke Energy’s illumination website.