Columbia Gas, Local Organizations Provide Free Holiday Meals For 200 Clairton Families In Need

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

CLAIRTON, Pa. (KDKA) -- 200 families in need in Clairton received free holiday meals on Saturday thanks to a partnership of local organizations.

Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, InfraSource and the Clairton Police Department put together the donations. With the help of the NiSource Charitable Foundation, Columbia Gas and InfraSource donated $10,000 to the Clairton Police Department to purchase the holiday meals to be distributed to families via volunteers.

"Through the Columbia Gas pipeline replacement work over the past year and after decades of providing safe and reliable natural gas service in our area, over 30 full-time Columbia Gas employees and InfraSource contractors have become valued members of the Clairton community," said Clairton Police Chief Robert Hoffman. "The Columbia Gas and InfraSource construction leadership heard about our holiday plans to give back and asked if they could assist and expand our outreach."

"After a year when we have felt isolated in many ways, this united effort in the city of Clairton is proof that we are truly stronger when we come together," said Columbia Gas President Mark Kempic. "We want to thank the Clairton Police Department as well as InfraSource for including us in this opportunity to give back. We would like to the Greater Washington Food Bank for donating boxes, so we could safely and efficiently deliver the holiday meals. Last but not least, we would like to thank Comin' In Hot BBQ for helping us order the food."