Meet Our 2026 Impact Investment Finalists
10/12/2026
At Gas South, part of our purpose to Be A Fuel For Good® means giving back 5% of profits each year to help support children in need. One way we do that is through our annual Impact Investments, which provide funding for nonprofits that focus on basic needs, education and health for children in the communities we serve.
This year, we're inviting customers to help direct $100,000 in funding by voting for their top three organizations. Five out of 10 nonprofits will ultimately receive funding, helping them continue creating positive change in the communities they serve.
Below, you'll learn more about each organization, their mission and the people whose lives are touched by their work. To help bring their impact to life, we asked each nonprofit to describe a time they witnessed a core memory being made by a child in their program. As you explore their stories, vote for the three organizations you'd most like to support.
Anna Crawford Children's Center
Anna Crawford Children's Center provides support and advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Through a coordinated approach that brings together forensic interviews, counseling and family support services, the organization helps children begin the healing process in a safe and supportive environment.
Core Memory: A staff member immediately thought of a letter a mother wrote after her daughter received services at Anna Crawford Children's Center following abuse by a family member. The mother described staff playing with balloons, laughing and racing through the hallways with her daughter, writing, “Literally a core memory that her and I both will always have with us throughout her life,” and ending with, “I will never be able to tell you all thank you enough for truly saving my girl.”
What may have seemed like a simple moment to staff became a lasting memory of safety, joy and connection for a little girl during an incredibly difficult time. It was a reminder that even in the midst of trauma, a child can experience moments of happiness, feel safe and simply be a child.
Spectrum Autism Support Group
Spectrum Autism Support Group serves individuals with autism and their families through educational programs, support services and community connections. The organization works to help people on the autism spectrum build skills, increase independence and thrive at every stage of life.
Core Memory: A child in our after-school enrichment robotics program accomplished something they had been struggling with, then immediately turned to their peer group with the biggest smile and said, “I did it!”
Seeing their confidence shift from uncertainty to genuine pride made me think, “This is a moment they’ll remember for a lifetime.” What made it special was not just the accomplishment itself, but having a supportive community there to celebrate it with them and a parent there to see what they had achieved. Providing a space where children can be accepted, work at their own pace and celebrate each accomplishment creates hope and new possibilities for individuals with autism.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is dedicated to ensuring that no child sleeps on the floor. Through volunteer-built beds and community partnerships, the organization provides children in need with a safe, comfortable place to sleep.
Core Memory: When we deliver a bed, children often jump around with excitement and look for ways to help. They carry the bedding, ask to hold the drill and help assemble their new bed, smiling from ear to ear.
That joy is what I receive from sharing my gifts with others and making a difference in the life of a child.
Unique Individual Ranch
Unique Individual Ranch creates opportunities for individuals with disabilities to build confidence, develop life skills and experience meaningful social connections. Through recreational, educational and therapeutic programs, the organization helps participants reach their full potential.
Core Memory: At the end of an Adaptive Soccer practice, a mother walked up to me with tears in her eyes. She shared that she had dreamed of a day like this, a place where both of her sons, ages 9 and 11 and both on the autism spectrum, could finally play a sport alongside children their own age and ability and simply belong.
Watching her boys run the field that day, fully included and fully seen, I knew this was a memory she and her sons would carry for a lifetime. That’s the moment I remember why we do this work.
HeartBound Ministries
HeartBound Ministries supports children and families facing difficult circumstances by providing mentoring, resources and community-based support. Its programs are designed to strengthen families, encourage personal growth and create opportunities for long-term success.
Core Memory: Two HeartBound programs come to mind: Returning Hearts Celebration and Little Readers, both of which give children the gift of connection with an incarcerated parent.
Whether it’s spending a day together on prison grounds, playing games, eating snow cones and sharing a hug, or watching a parent read a book just for them, these experiences tell a child, “You are loved, you are remembered and you matter to me.”
When I have the privilege of seeing a child experience those moments, or see a father tenderly reading to or embracing his little one, I think, “They will remember this day for the rest of their life.”
Best Buddies in Georgia
Best Buddies in Georgia creates opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through friendship, leadership development and inclusive living programs. The organization works to build a more connected community where everyone is valued and included.
Core Memory: At a Best Buddies school event, I watched a student with intellectual and developmental disabilities walk into a room and immediately be greeted by a friend calling their name, waving them over and genuinely excited to see them.
The joy on the student’s face was unforgettable, and what made it so special was how natural it was. No one was thinking about disability or inclusion, just friends happy to be together. I remember thinking, “This is what belonging looks like.” I believe that feeling of knowing, “These are my friends, and they want me here,” is something that student will carry for a lifetime.
Latina Leads
Latina Leads empowers Latina girls and young women through mentorship, leadership development and educational opportunities. The organization helps participants build confidence, pursue their goals and become leaders in their schools, careers and communities.
Core Memory: Once shy and afraid of unfamiliar experiences, Elisa found the courage to touch a snake and discovered something bigger about herself. When we told her, “You’re a champion,” she proudly repeated those words to her mom: “Mom, I am a champion!”
Today, Elisa still calls herself our champion, a reminder that one moment of courage can change how a girl sees herself.
Students Without Mothers
Students Without Mothers supports children and young adults who have experienced the loss of their mother. Through scholarships, mentoring and emotional support, the organization helps students navigate life's challenges while pursuing their educational goals.
Core Memory: At our annual Chastain for Charity Benefit Concert, one of our students, Rihanna, agreed to get on stage in front of hundreds of people and talk about what it’s been like growing up without her mother and what Students Without Mothers has meant to her.
As I watched her speak, I was incredibly proud. Here was this young woman confidently telling her story, and an entire audience was listening, encouraging her and applauding her. I remember thinking, “She’s going to remember this.”
It was not just about speaking at an event. I believe it was a moment when Rihanna realized that her story matters, her voice matters and she can use her experiences to make an impact on others.
Men Elevating Men Inc.
Men Elevating Men provides mentorship and guidance to young men as they navigate academic, personal and professional challenges. Through positive role models and leadership-focused programming, the organization helps participants build character, confidence and life skills.
Core Memory: One of our mentors learned that his 16-year-old mentee had a job interview but did not have appropriate clothing to wear, and his family could not afford to purchase it. With his parent’s permission, the mentor took him shopping for a shirt, tie and dress pants.
The young man became emotional and said, “No one has ever done anything like this for me.” For us, that was a core memory because, in that moment, he experienced what it meant to have an adult believe in him, invest in him and support his future.
Henrico CASA
Henrico CASA advocates for children involved in the court system due to abuse or neglect. Trained volunteers serve as a voice for the child, helping judges make informed decisions that support each child's safety, well-being and future.
Core Memory: Seventeen-year-old Briana* had endured physical abuse and neglect for years, always feeling as though she did not have a voice. Her CASA advocate was the one person who listened to her, advocated for her needs and made her feel like she mattered.
At Briana’s final court hearing, the judge recognized her resilience, acknowledged her special relationship with her CASA advocate and invited her to put on a judge’s robe and take a seat behind the bench. The experience showed Briana that her past did not define her and that her future was full of possibility.
For Briana, it was more than a memorable day in court. It was a reminder that she was heard, valued and capable of shaping her future.
*Name changed to protect child's privacy
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