OAKLAND, Calif. — The PG&E Corporation Foundation (The PG&E Foundation) is providing $775,000 to local food banks, Meals on Wheels programs and tribal organizations to help feed individuals and families struggling with food insecurity.
The total contribution is the equivalent of approximately 3.87 million meals for individuals and families in need. Here in Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Bay Area region, funding totaling more than $164,000 will support five food banks serving Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano counties.
While California produces nearly half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables, on average one in five residents — about 8 million people — don’t know where their next meal will come from, according to the California Association of Food Banks. Communities of color face even greater levels of huner.
“This last year has been very challenging for Alameda County Community Food Bank and our network of community partners,” said Regi Young, Executive Director of Alameda County Community Food Bank. “From skyrocketing costs of basic needs to the sunsetting of critical government benefits, our community has been struggling — and meanwhile, funding for food banks like ours has declined considerably. We are grateful to have partners like PG&E who have been committed to supporting hunger relief for many years through critical funding, program support, and volunteerism. As a community-based organization we literally could not do this work without support like this.”
“We’re so grateful for local food banks and food distribution organizations for their ongoing work fighting hunger in our hometowns. Thanks to all of our partners for their unwavering dedication to providing a necessary and critical safety net and helping families put food on their tables,” said Aaron Johnson, Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Bay Area Regional Vice President.
Grant amounts consider county poverty and unemployment levels, using the California Department of Social Services’ formula, to promote equity among counties with higher need.
Supporting ‘Food ACCESS’ and Emergency Preparedness
In addition to grants to local food distribution organizations, The PG&E Foundation is supporting next year’s California Association of Food Banks’ (CAFB) “Food ACCESS” conference. The mid-May event brings together stakeholders in food and health-hunger relief services focused on an equitable statewide safety net and ending hunger in California.
The PG&E Foundation and PG&E have been long-time supporters of CAFB and county food banks, together contributing more than $4 million over the past five years.
“While the pandemic may be behind us, food banks continue to respond to an ongoing hunger crisis and we are grateful to PG&E for their continued partnership with us and our member food banks when it’s needed most,” said Stacia Levenfeld, CEO of the California Association of Food Banks. “We are excited for PG&E to again be the presenting sponsor of our Food ACCESS conference and grateful that their support will establish scholarships, better enabling attendance by smaller food banks. We believe access to food is a basic human right and, collectively, we will explore and address ways to make that right a reality for all Californians at Food ACCESS 2024.”
Additionally, PG&E has agreements with 25 local food banks in high fire-risk areas to provide food replacement during and up until three days after a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). These PSPS events may be called when dry, windy weather is forecast, and PG&E may need to turn off power to prevent wildfires and keep customers safe. PG&E understands that food loss is challenging for customers, and our partnerships help provide a solution. To find a local food bank partnering with PG&E, visit pge.com/PSPSresources
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/.
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