To Help Combat Food Insecurity, The PG&E Corporation Foundation Contributes $750,000 to Local Food Banks

The PG&E Corporation Foundation (The Foundation) is providing $750,000 to local food banks to help feed individuals and families struggling with food insecurity. The contribution is equal to approximately 4.5 million pounds of food, or 3.75 million meals, for individuals and families in need. The funding will support 39 food banks serving 49 counties in Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) service area.

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 hunger.

“Our Placer Food Bank team works diligently to provide access to healthy foods for people of all ages, genders, race, and ethnicities throughout Placer, El Dorado and Nevada Counties. The funding we received from The PG&E Corporation Foundation elevates our purchasing power to expand and maintain our shelf-stable inventory for emergency food/disaster relief response —including for individuals and families who are forced to make tough choices between staying fed or paying for gasoline and housing bills because of soaring costs for groceries and living expenses,” said Dave Martinez, Executive Director, Placer Food Bank.

“We’re grateful for local food banks for their ongoing work to fight hunger in our hometowns. Coming on the heels of the pandemic, inflation is making it even harder in some instances for families to make ends meet in California, which has one of the highest costs of living in the nation. Local food banks provide a necessary and critical safety net,” said Carla Peterman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, for PG&E Corporation and Chair of the PG&E Corporation Foundation Board.

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

This year, in addition to grants to local food banks, The Foundation is supporting the California Association of Food Banks (CAFB) annual conference “Food ACCESS.” The event brings together stakeholders in food and health-hunger relief services focused on an equitable statewide safety net, and ending hunger in California.

The Foundation and PG&E have been long-time supporters of CAFB and county food banks, together contributing $3.25 million over the past four years.

“For more than two years, food banks have been on the frontlines responding to the ongoing hunger crisis and now families’ and food banks’ budgets are stretched even thinner by the high prices of food and fuel,” said Stacia Levenfeld, CEO of the California Association of Food Banks. “We are grateful to PG&E for their continued partnership with us and our member food banks when it’s needed most. We believe that access to food is a basic human right, and this October we’ll be exploring ways to make that right a reality for all Californians at our 2022 Food ACCESS conference, thanks to the support of PG&E.”

Additionally, PG&E has agreements with 23 local food banks in high fire-risk areas to provide food replacement during and after a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). PSPS is used as a tool of last resort during wind-driven extreme weather to reduce the risk of wildfires. PG&E understands that food loss is challenging for customers, and through these agreements, PG&E provides reimbursement for food banks that provide food replacement to residents. To find a local food bank partnering with PG&E, visit PGE.com/PSPSresources.

Email Currents at Currents@pge.com.