Pacific Gas and Electric : The PG&E Corporation Foundation Commits Funding for Local Nonprofits to Boost Support for Customers, Communities Impacted by Recent Severe Winter Storms

As some Sierra Foothills communities continue recovering from a strong series of holiday winter storms, The PG&E Corporation Foundation is providing up to $250,000 in charitable contributions through its Winter Storm Relief Fund to nonprofit organizations, agencies and tribes providing emergency support to areas impacted by extreme weather this winter storm season.

Charitable funding from both PG&E and The PG&E Corporation Foundation for the recent storms is focused on supporting at-risk individuals in impacted communities and residents most vulnerable to extreme weather, including children, seniors, those with access and functional needs, medically fragile, low income and food insecure.

"Placer Community Foundation (PCF) has enjoyed a solid partnership with PG&E for many years, both as the home for their Community Impact Fund and through opportunities to collaborate and problem-solve, especially when urgent needs arrive. PG&E stepped up to help seed PCF's Wildfire Relief Fund and was swift to provide funds to help residents impacted by snowstorms," said Veronica Blake, CEO, Placer Community Foundation.

Priority for the Winter Storm Relief Fund is given to non-profit organizations, agencies and tribes with programs assisting the following impacted counties: Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba. Programs that are being supported include volunteer fire departments, emergency food pantries, shelter support, tribes and others providing food, fuel, firewood and other supports directly to impacted community members.

The late December, early January storms broke snow accumulation records for the month of December in some cases, contributing to widespread and severe damage to PG&E's electric system. The damage, coupled with access challenges to assess and repair, resulted in extended power outages for some PG&E customers.

Since the event start date, Dec. 26, 2021, PG&E and contract crews have restored power to more than 500,000 customers. More than 2,500 personnel have been working to repair storm damage and restore power.

"We understand how difficult it can be to lose power, particularly for an extended period of time, during the colder winter months. In addition to working around the clock to repair the damage to our electric system, we're grateful for our nonprofit, agency and tribal partners that are providing additional resources to help our customers with their most basic and critical needs," said PG&E's Robert Kenney, senior vice president, regulatory and external affairs, and chair of The PG&E Corporation Foundation board.

In addition to charitable funding, PG&E has provided support services to customers experiencing long-duration outages including: establishing Community Resource Centers for charging personal and medical devices; delivering portable generators; distributing pallets of firewood; partnering with 211 and other support services to help customers find local services during the emergency; partnering with food banks for food replacement; and supporting Independent Living Centers.

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