PG&E, Nonprofit Partner To Serve Vulnerable In Sonoma County

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Pacific Gas and Electric Company provided $15,600 last year to Food For Thought, a nonprofit that serves Sonoma County residents with food and nutritional support, during weather-related events and Public Safety Power Shutoffs, the utility company said in a news release.

"This is one of nearly 50 contracted partnerships PG&E has developed to provide direct services in communities across Northern and Central California when power is turned off for safety during times of heightened wildfire risk," said PG&E Spokesperson Deanna Contreras.

In 2020, PG&E’s funding also helped Food For Thought provide critical food and nutritional support to Sonoma County residents who are living with HIV, congestive heart failure, coronavirus and other serious illnesses by providing free weekly groceries and fresh produce, nutritional supplements, vitamins and medically-tailored meals.

"We are very grateful to PG&E for the support that we received," said Ron Karp, executive director of Food For Thought. "Last May, we received a call from Sonoma County's Department of Health Services requesting help in providing food for an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. That's when we recognized the importance of serving additional people and their families who were going to be homebound due to illness. To meet the increased demand for our services, we launched our COVID-19 Nutrition Program. The funds provided by PG&E and other donors helped us expand our services. We could not have done it without the outpouring of support from the community."

In addition to helping Food For Thought and other nonprofits that serve residents during public safety power shutoffs, Contreras said PG&E makes charitable contributions to local food banks in areas at elevated or extreme risk for wildfires.

"To promote equity among counties with higher need, grant amounts will take into account county poverty and unemployment levels, using the California Department of Social Services’ formula," Contreras said.