ST. LOUIS, April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Laclede Group, Inc. (NYSE: LG) has donated $25,000 to the United Way to assist those that were affected by last weekend's storms that hit the St. Louis region. The Company will also match 100% of all employee donations made to the United Way through May 9, 2011.

"The damage to homes and businesses within our area this past weekend has been devastating for many individuals and families," said President, Chairman and CEO Douglas H. Yaeger.  "Hundreds of homes have been severely damaged or destroyed, and our neighbors who lived in them have been displaced and devastated. The Laclede Group, Inc. and its employees have stepped up before to donate to relief funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquakes in Haiti and, more recently, Japan. Now the need is in our own backyard and we are continuing that proud tradition."

As with other first responders, employees of Laclede Group's regulated utility Laclede Gas Company were mobilized in force during and after the tragic storms. Service technicians were dispatched to tackle calls of natural gas odors, broken mains and services. The devastation was widespread, and Laclede Gas crews worked through the night and well into Saturday, April 23 to ensure a safe natural gas distribution system.

"Our customers depend on us to deliver natural gas safely and reliably every day," Yaeger continued.  "Last weekend, despite impressive challenges posed by Mother Nature, we continued to come through for our customers."  

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, The Laclede Group, Inc. is a public utility holding company committed to providing reliable natural gas service through its regulated core utility operations, while engaging in non-regulated activities that provide opportunities for sustainable growth. Its subsidiary Laclede Gas Company serves nearly 630,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the City of St. Louis and parts of 10 counties in eastern Missouri. For more information about Laclede Group and its subsidiaries, visit www.TheLacledeGroup.com.

SOURCE The Laclede Group, Inc.