SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego Gas & Electric announced Wednesday that it has awarded $10 million in grants to local nonprofits to expand needed services for residents.
Ranging from $250,000 to $1 million, the SDG&E Community Assistance Fund grants were given to 21 community-based groups across the San Diego region.
The fund is a $10 million shareholder-funded charitable initiative aimed at improving housing stability and food security, and is "the largest one-year charity initiative that SDG&E has ever had," officials said.
CEO Caroline Winn said the utility "is also passionate about improving lives in the communities we serve."
"Shelter and food are fundamental, and yet many in our region struggle with the cost of these basic needs," Winn said.
"With these grants, we're fortunate to have the opportunity to support the missions of so many dedicated local organizations to help expand essential services that are desperately needed right now."
The groups will use the grant money on services as such emergency rent assistance, eviction prevention, food pantries, and meals for senior citizens, according to SDG&E.
The recipients' client base includes military families, older adults, and refugees. San Diego's inflation rate is the nation's second-highest and its housing market is one of the least affordable, according to SDG&E.
"The past few years have been difficult for many people in our region because the cost of living has skyrocketed," said Anahid Brakke, CEO of the San Diego Hunger Coalition, who served on the Community Assistance Fund advisory committee.
"As a result, community-based organizations are struggling to keep up with a surge in demand for assistance while, at the same time, balancing their own higher operating costs with a post-pandemic drop in charitable donations," Brakke explained.
"The grants from SDG&E could not come at a better time for San Diego County individuals and families."
According to the Hunger Coalition, as of December, 23% of San Diego County residents live in a household that can't afford three healthy meals a day.
Members of the Hispanic/Latino, Black, and Native American communities are experiencing food insecurity at a higher rate than the rest of the county, according to the Hunger Coalition.
The San Diego Foundation is administering the grants on behalf of SDG&E. Over the years, the two entities have teamed up on various endeavors, including funds focused on COVID-19 response and Black community investment.
To ensure a transparent grant selection process, SDG&E and SDF formed an advisory committee to review recommendations.
A list of grant recipients can be found at sdge.com/community-assistance-fund.
