High Fuel Costs Prompt Minn. United Way to Help Charities Save on Gas

Charities that operate vans, buses, and other vehicles to provide transportation to the people they serve

face an array of challenges, including maintenance and repairs.

But in recent months another challenge has emerged: rising fuel costs, as the price of oil hit a new record high just this month, and more increases are expected.

To combat the rising costs, the United Way affiliate in Minneapolis has worked out a deal with a gas company to give a break to the charities it supports. Byron Laher, director of public policy at the Greater Twin Cities United Way, says he and his assistant, Maynard Speece, came up with the idea, which saves 4.5 cents per gallon on gas.

The charity approached Holiday gas stations, a regional gas provider, to secure the price break for all nonprofit groups affiliated with the Greater Twin Cities United Way when they use a Holiday gas credit card to fill up. The card is available free from the company and it does not charge interest.

The United Way’s network of 210 charities have more than 1,000 cars and other vehicles that cost $1-million annually to fuel, Mr. Laher says. The discount was unveiled in late July, and already several organizations have applied for the credit card.

Mr. Laher says he expects many more groups to start using the cards as fuel prices remain high. “We’re anticipating this is going to go on forever and hopefully if this works out, we can ratchet up the discount an additional half cent,” he says.

He adds that if the program proves to be popular, Holiday may also extend the same discount to companies that run United Way campaigns for their employees.

“The bottom line is that we’re trying to help agencies deliver services more efficiently,” he says. “Filling up the car with gas isn’t part of that mission, so this is a better use of the charitable dollar.”