PG&E Foundation grants $21,650 to SLO County food bank
Grants totaling $1.32 million to support food banks across 45 counties
– The PG&E Corporation Foundation is providing $21,650 to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County as part of $1.32 million in grants to food banks, tribal food banks, and senior meal programs across 45 counties, according to the foundation.
The funding will help more than 50 organizations provide the equivalent of about 3.13 million meals, the foundation said. Food banks in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties will receive a total of $112,390.
The grants are funded by PG&E shareholders and are not recovered through customer rates, according to the foundation. Grant amounts consider county poverty and unemployment levels, using the California Department of Social Services’ formula. The funding comes during Hunger Action Month.
According to the California Association of Food Banks, one in five Californians, about 8.8 million people, reported experiencing food insecurity. Food banks across the state are serving record levels of need as families face increased costs for housing, groceries, and other essentials, according to the association.
“Families across California are facing difficult choices as the costs of groceries, housing and other essentials continue to rise,” said Carla Peterman, president of PG&E Corporation and chair of the foundation’s board. “These grants will help local food banks provide immediate assistance in the community they know best. Over the past six years, we have contributed more than $8 million to organizations fighting hunger, and we remain committed to helping our neighbors access the food they need.”
PG&E also has agreements with 25 local food banks in high fire-risk areas to provide food replacement during and up to three days after a Public Safety Power Shutoff. Seniors enrolled in Meals on Wheels who experience a shutoff will receive an extra meal for each day of an emergency outage, according to the utility.
For more information, visit www.pge.com/news.
