PG&E will give $100,000 in Power Your Community grants across 91 organizations – all of which were nominated by PG&E employees.
This is the second year of PG&E’s Power Your Community program, which invites the utility’s employees to apply for grants of $2,500 or $1,000 on behalf of schools or community organizations they’re connected with. The recipients are spread throughout PG&E’s Northern and Central California service area.
The employees’ relationship with the organization can be anything from founder to former neighbor. This year, selected employees include weekend tree planters, board secretaries, PTA volunteers, and a chorus singer—all seeking to give a fundraising boost to a favorite cause.
PG&E chose the recipient organizations based on their connection to the company’s three community investment priorities—education, environmental stewardship, and community vitality. For example, some serve disadvantaged youth or homeless women; others spread messages of energy conservation or wildlife habitat preservation.
“Power Your Community grants are ideal outlets for PG&E’s charitable giving,” said Ezra Garrett, vice president of community relations and chief sustainability officer at PG&E. “The relationships between the employees and the organizations make these grants particularly personal and special. And the dollars are supporting causes that improve the quality of life for our communities.”
The Power Your Community program is one of several ways PG&E gives back to the communities where its customers and employees live and work. In 2011, the utility contributed $23 million to charitable organizations and plans to provide even more this year. PG&E offers more information on its community investments on its website.
