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Food Bank Emergency Fund Receives PG&E Donation
food funds
Local programs that provide emergency food and housing are encouraged to attend an upcoming grant workshop.

The California Association of Food Banks has been provided with financial assistance from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to establish the California Food Bank Rapid Response Fund. PG&E recently made a $150,000 charitable contribution to the food banks organization. Through the Rapid Response Fund, the Association will provide critical funding for food banks to increase their capacity to purchase food and supplies, and to supplement their staffing needs through the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies.

The Rapid Response Fund will distribute funding to 40 food banks serving all 58 California counties, with 34 located in PG&E’s service area. Customers in need of assistance can find a food bank close to them by searching their zip code at: http://www.cafoodbanks.org/find-food-assistanceor by calling their local 211 number or the statewide hotline at (833) 544-2374.

Local food banks that will be supported by this $150,000 in funding include: Interfaith Food Bank (Amador County), The Resource Connection (Calaveras County), Food Bank of El Dorado County (El Dorado and Alpine counties), Food Bank of Nevada County (Nevada County), Placer Food Bank (Placer County), Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services (Sacramento County), Emergency Food Bank of Stockton (San Joaquin County), Second Harvest Food Bank (San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties), Tuolumne County Action Agency (Tuolumne County) and Yolo Food Bank (Yolo County).

“Food banks are a vital resource in every community, working throughout the year to ensure that no one goes hungry. During this current crisis, food banks are at the forefront providing an unprecedented amount of food to millions of Californians,” explained Stacia Levenfeld, Chief Executive Officer of the California Association of Food Banks. “Thank you to PG&E for this inaugural donation to the California Food Bank Rapid Response Fund. My hope is that this donation inspires others to contribute, supporting our essential work to deliver healthy food to those who need it most throughout the state.”

This donation is part of $1 million in charitable contributions that PG&E and The PG&E Corporation Foundation have committed to providing to nonprofits focused on supporting individuals and families coping with the impacts of the current health crisis. The $1 million funding will seek to address general relief and food insecurity, as well as assist small businesses with the economic impacts of the public health emergency. These donations come from shareholder funds, not customers.

“As a company and as individuals, we recognize the need to support first responders. During this difficult time, food banks have become one of many important first responders supporting the most vulnerable members of our communities. We’re proud to be able to support them and hope others will join us. This new Rapid Response Fund will be available to help 34 food banks in our service area during this emergency as well as others in the future,” said Robert Kenney, PG&E’s Vice President of State and Regulatory Affairs.

The Fund will distribute 85 percent of the donations to support local food banks as they scale up their operations to meet the increased demand for food and resources, and 15 percent will support the California Association of Food Banks’ critical role in response efforts.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, based in San Francisco, is a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), and is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States.