Grants Will Provide Healthy Food to Older Adults in more than 20 Counties
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (the Foundation) together have contributed a total of $150,000 to organizations in Northern and Central California focused on feeding vulnerable senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The health, safety and well-being of our customers and communities is PG&E’s primary responsibility. We know that good nutrition is essential to good health. Yet, many in our communities are facing financial hardships including food insecurity during this pandemic, and that can be especially true for the most vulnerable, like senior citizens. That’s why we’re doing our part by providing basic needs like a healthy meal,” said Robert Kenney, PG&E’s Vice President, State and Regulatory Affairs, and Chairman of The PG&E Corporation Foundation.
The funding will support 15 organizations, including Meals on Wheels programs, which provide meals to seniors and helps combat social isolation.
PG&E’s contribution is part of a $1 million commitment that PG&E and the Foundation announced last month to organizations supporting individuals and families facing food insecurity, and small businesses challenged by the public health crisis. PG&E also previously announced funding for food banks in its service area.
Council on Aging in Sonoma County, one such organization, said requests for meals have increased fourfold since the start of the pandemic.
“As our Senior Centers have closed, we’re now providing more than 12,000 meals a week either via home delivery or at our drive-through sites where seniors or family members can pick up five-day meal packs. We appreciate our partnership with PG&E, as this grant will help us keep up with the increase in need,” said Marrianne McBride, President and CEO of Council on Aging.
PG&E charitable contributions are funded entirely by shareholders and have no financial impact on its customers.
Aligned with directives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PG&E has paused in-person company-sponsored volunteerism. This is to limit employees’ exposure to public places and large gatherings where social distancing may be difficult. The company is supporting ways its employees can volunteer virtually. Starting May 1, PG&E is partnering with HandsOn Bay Area and SOS Meals on Wheels, where employees are making senior wellness calls for Meals on Wheels clients.
PG&E is also encouraging its employees to contribute to charitable organizations that are providing COVID-19 support to local communities. Individual employee donations made to these organizations will be matched up to a total of $50,000.
For additional ways PG&E is supporting customers during the COVID-19 public health crisis, go to www.pge.com/covid19
Senior Meal Grants by County:
Organization
|
County
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Agency on Aging - Area 4
|
Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba
|
Bakersfield Senior Center Inc.
|
Kern
|
Council on Aging
|
Sonoma
|
Human Services Agency - San Joaquin County Meals on Wheels
|
San Joaquin
|
Meals of Marin
|
Marin, Contra Costa, Santa Clara
|
Meals on Wheels Alameda County
|
Alameda
|
Meals on Wheels Diablo Region
|
Contra Costa
|
Meals on Wheels of San Francisco
|
San Francisco
|
Peninsula Volunteers Inc DBA Meals on Wheels San Mateo County
|
San Mateo
|
Santa Clara County- Senior Nutrition Program
|
Santa Clara
|
Senior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo County (DBA Meals that Connect)
|
San Luis Obispo
|
Tribal Food Distribution Programs
|
Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Tule River Tribe, Hoopa Valley Tribe and Yurok Tribe Food Distribution Programs
|
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
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