Independent Restaurant Owners in PG&E's Service Area Can Apply for $5,000 Grants
OAKLAND, Calif., April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, The PG&E Corporation Foundation (The PG&E Foundation) is providing grants to independent restaurant owners and their staffs through the California Restaurant Foundation's (CRF) Restaurants Care Resilience Fund. The PG&E Foundation is contributing $900,000 this year to help build more resilient hometown businesses for the long term.
The PG&E Foundation's donation will help fund total grants across California of $2.1 million to more than 360 independent restaurants. CRF increased the amount of individual grants to $5,000 this year, which can be used for technology adoption, equipment upgrades, employee onboarding and retention, and unforeseen hardships, reflecting a commitment to strengthen restaurants to continue contributing to local economies and communities.
Last year, the PG&E Foundation funded $3,000 grants to 144 hometown restaurants in 28 counties in Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) service area.
You can watch a video about one of the recipients, located in PG&E's hometown headquarters of Oakland, here.
"We are so grateful for the continued support of the PG&E Foundation of our Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, as it allows us to join forces to help independent restaurant owners in Northern and Central California build resilience and strengthen their business for the long term," said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of the California Restaurant Foundation. "The Resilience Fund grants directly benefit the local community by providing restaurant owners with financial assistance. Thanks to the PG&E Foundation's generosity, this will be our biggest and most impactful Resilience Fund yet."
"Local restaurants are a hub for gathering, connecting and celebrating. They strengthen the fabric of our communities, and we're proud to help business owners and their staffs thrive. We're grateful to partner with the California Restaurant Foundation to help build more resilient independent businesses in our hometowns," said Carla Peterman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, PG&E Corporation, and Chair of the Board, The PG&E Corporation Foundation.
Apply Now through May 7
Restaurant Fund applications are open now through May 7, 2023. Restaurants can apply at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience. Grants are open to all California-based restaurant owners in PG&E's service area that have fewer than five locations and less than $3 million in revenue. Priority will be given to restaurants that have not received a grant; however, previous recipients also are encouraged to apply.
CRF began the Resilience Fund in 2021 to support restaurants recovering from economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to many restaurants closing their doors temporarily or permanently.
Since its inception, the CRF has awarded 788 grants to independent restaurant owners across the state. Of the recipients, 68.5% were women-owned and 83% were minority-owned.
The PG&E Foundation's funding for this charitable donation comes from PG&E shareholders, not PG&E customers.
Assisting Small and Medium Businesses
PG&E remains committed to providing ways for its small and medium business customers to save energy and money amid recent economic hardships including the pandemic and recent inflation. Here are some ways PG&E is helping its customers:
- Contacting business customers who would save money by choosing a better rate plan for their operations, in line with changing peak hours for time-of-use rate plans — saving customers over $5 million in energy costs already this year.
- Providing COVID-19 relief and support information to all small business customers, including PG&E resources and external support for businesses like California state programs.
- Launched the Simplified Savings Program to provide energy efficiency assessments and upgrades at no cost to qualified small business customers.
- Increasing outreach to small business customers highlighting payment support and energy-savings programs through email campaigns, PG&E's Energy Advisors, and direct mail.
- Conducting outreach to eligible customers to enroll in a discounted rate for businesses struggling to stay open.
- Offering rebate and financing solutions to help small business customers realize sustained cost savings.
For more information on PG&E Small and Medium Business customer support, visit pge.com/smbsupport.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/.
About The PG&E Corporation Foundation
The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.
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SOURCE PG&E Corporation
