The Columbus Foundation partners with central Ohio businesses to help their employees—both locally and nationally—who are experiencing hardship. Through the creation of a fund to support an Emergency Assistance Program, or EAP, at The Columbus Foundation, businesses are able to provide financial support to employees facing an unexpected crisis, such as a natural disaster, the death of a family member, or a short-term illness.
Today, The Columbus Foundation works with 28 companies to support employees in their time of need, helping businesses create customized programs while handling administrative tasks. One such company is IGS Energy, a private, family-owned energy retail supplier headquartered in Dublin. Founded in 1989, IGS Energy employs roughly 2,200 individuals, including nearly 600 in central Ohio.
Although IGS Energy has managed an EAP since 2015, a few years ago the company began looking for ways to modernize its program to accommodate the company’s growing footprint. As Jen Bowden, Vice President of Social Impact at IGS Energy, explained, after learning more about the flexibility and ease of EAPs at The Columbus Foundation, the IGS Energy Employee Hardship Fund was moved to the Foundation in 2023. The fund continues to provide timely, critical support to IGS Energy employees when the unexpected occurs.
“We are a company that thinks long term and, as a result, invests a lot in our employees,” said Bowden. “When people face hardships like an illness, a natural disaster, or some sort of crisis, it can become all-consuming. We want to make sure employees get the resources they need to recover and have their needs met.”
"Giving back is really a big part of our culture. When you have success, there is an obligation to give back and support the community."
JEN BOWDEN
In 2024, following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused large-scale damage and disruption in states like Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, IGS Energy worked with The Columbus Foundation to deliver quick financial assistance to employees impacted by the storms. For instance, dozens of IGS Energy employees in South Carolina were without power for several days, leaving them unable to access the funds needed to buy groceries and other basic needs.
Through the IGS Energy Employee Hardship Fund, the company provided support to affected employees, offering much-needed assistance in the aftermath of the storms. In the weeks and months following the hurricanes, the fund also helped employees and their families recover from the long-term effects of the storm, including home repairs.
In 2024, EAPs at The Columbus Foundation awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to individuals experiencing a sudden hardship, which was a record-breaking year. Roughly two-thirds of the grants were related to acts of nature—such as tornadoes, flooding, and hurricanes—in communities in Ohio and beyond.
According to Bowden, creating a shared culture of care and support is deeply important to IGS Energy. Not only do employees personally contribute to the IGS Energy Employee Hardship Fund, but the company also donates leftover personal time off, or PTO, balances into the fund. The company also engages employees through volunteer service and charitable giving initiatives.
“It’s a point of pride for our employees,” said Bowden. “Giving back is a really big part of our culture. When you have success, there is an obligation to give back and support the community.”