Celebrating their 175th anniversary, Peoples Gas reflects on its legacy of philanthropy in Chicago communities.
For 175 years, Peoples Gas has been a cornerstone of Chicago, fueling homes, supporting neighborhoods, and investing in a brighter future for all. As they celebrate this milestone anniversary, we’re proud to recognize Peoples Gas not only for their longevity but also for their commitment to community partnerships, including their support of the Chicago Public Library Foundation, totaling over $1.3 million in funding in the last 25 years.
Their commitment has empowered some of the Library’s most impactful STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) learning programs, like ScienceConnections and YOUmedia, as well as continued support for CyberNavigators, the Maker Lab, and summer learning. This legacy of support reflects a shared belief: that every Chicagoan deserves access to resources that spark curiosity, grow minds, and open doors.
We sat down with Laurence Szumski, Vice President of Customer Relations at Peoples Gas and a proud member of the Chicago Public Library Foundation Board of Directors, to talk about the company’s legacy, the importance of equitable access to information, and why supporting public libraries is a natural extension of the Peoples Gas mission to empower Chicago communities.
How are you commemorating Peoples Gas 175th anniversary?
When you think about 175 years, going back to the mid-1800s, Chicago was literally forming into the great city that it is today. Peoples Gas came into being around then, too, and we’re doing several different things to help recognize and bring some energy around those 175 years. We’ve created celebratory logos that we’ve been using throughout the year. We’ve added a “Did You Know?” section in our customer newsletter with facts about Peoples Gas: how we’ve grown, recent things we’ve done that help people see and understand how it is that Peoples Gas has been a part of the community for so long and how we serve our customers and constituents every single day. We’ve also been starting to create some videos that we’re going to share that talk a little bit more about our history. We’re going to put them out on social media and out on our websites again to find a different way to connect back to and celebrate the 175 years that we’ve had at Peoples Gas and look forward to the next 175 years.
A big part of Peoples Gas legacy is philanthropy. Can you share more about the organization’s commitment to community engagement and corporate social responsibility?
At Peoples Gas, we really believe that together we can build a stronger, more resilient Chicago. We have employees that serve on different boards and participate in volunteer opportunities. We’re always looking for opportunities to make a lasting impact in our communities and city through charitable giving and our strategic partnerships. We’re also actively identifying sustainable practices. More recently, we’ve been looking at how the gas company develops and continues to change to help meet the needs of our customers.
Some of the causes we support include United Way’s Polar Plunge. It’s a great opportunity for us to bring our employees, our families, and some of our key partners together. We also support Angel Tree, which is an opportunity for us, again, with some of our key partners, to identify families that could use some help during the holidays. One that means a lot to me in October is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, where we raise funds for cancer research.
What inspired Peoples Gas to support the Chicago Public Library Foundation?
Peoples Gas has always been very proud to support the Chicago Public Library Foundation because we believe in equitable access to information. Through my involvement with the Board, I’ve been able to see firsthand how our public library empowers Chicagoans of all ages and stages of life to continue learning in unique and creative ways. We believe that libraries are vital resources that offer more than just books and have programs like CyberNavigators or YOUmedia. During COVID we saw the headlines about people not having access to computers and the internet, and the numbers were astounding. Chicago Public Library helps people get on computers, prepare for jobs and give them interview tips. Peoples Gas really believes that libraries help our communities learn, grow, and connect with one another.
What are you most excited about as you look forward to the continued partnership between Peoples Gas and the Library Foundation?
For me, it’s seeing the impact. I think about teens who are looking for their path in life and the Library and the programs that Peoples Gas funds really help to lay that out. For me that’s the most exciting part—helping to create that equity across the city of Chicago, providing those opportunities for Chicagoans regardless of their background. It gives them an opportunity to explore, to grow, to be creative and that leads to a much brighter Chicago.
Do you have any final thoughts on the power of libraries or the importance of equitable access to information?
Whether it’s a young student starting school, or a senior citizen who comes to the Library to connect with the community, Chicago Public library provides this access at no cost. I think that that’s so important—and at Peoples Gas, supporting the Library Foundation demonstrates our commitment to education and workforce development. We’re always looking for those tangible ways to strengthen the communities that we serve, making sure that children have a safe place to learn, job seekers have those tools to succeed, and that our neighbors have those opportunities to grow, connect all in a safe place.
I always like to end with two fun questions. Are you currently reading anything or do you have a book that you often return to?
I really enjoy US history, particularly around the Civil War and when I think about the Civil War, I think about how divided the country was and what a difficult time that was. On top of my list is Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I know the Library Foundation honored her several years ago, and unfortunately, I wasn’t there for that one. I really enjoy that book a lot because it helped me to think about my life and how I surround myself with people and how I try to help encourage others to not only surround yourself with people who think the same way.
Next on my list is Grant by Ron Chernow, a 1,000-page biography about Ulysses S. Grant.
What’s your earliest library memory?
I grew up in the south suburbs of Illinois. My earliest library memory was in my elementary school library. We were in the library quite often and at that time in my life, I would rather be outside running around. The librarian there actually helped connect me with books. Some context: I enjoy NHL hockey, and I’ve skated pretty much my whole life. There was a book that she provided me that helped me to learn how to skate backwards. I was just talking with one of my kids. We were out ice skating over the winter. She asked me how I learned how to skate backwards, and it took me back to that memory of the librarian bringing me over to this book that had pictures that helped show you how you skate backwards and make an ‘S’ formation.
Also, I wasn’t the greatest student growing up, quite transparently. So, the other thing that really comes to mind for me are the people in the library who really helped me with my studies, including research papers. Librarians helped me understand what resources were available and where to find them.
Thank you for supporting Chicago Public Library, Peoples Gas, and happy 175 years of service! Learn more about Peoples Gas here.
