San Diego Gas & Electric gave $16 million to community-based nonprofits in 2023, with almost all of it benefiting diverse and underserved communities, officials said Wednesday.
SDG&E almost doubled its charitable investments last year compared to 2022, according to the utility’s 2023 Giving Impact Snapshot. Nearly 99% of the donations last year were given to low-income populations, communities of concern, seniors and the military, according to the report.
Last year, SDG&E launched the $10 million Community Assistance Fund, which is describes as the “largest single-year charitable initiative in company history, focusing on two major regional challenges, housing stability and food insecurity.”
The fund provided grants and resources to 21 community-based nonprofit organizations, allowing them to expand essential services.
SDG&E’s four strategic giving initiatives are climate action, emergency preparedness, STEM education and economic prosperity.
To help residents with their energy bills, SDG&E also provided $5 million in shareholder funds to United Way of San Diego via the Neighbor-to- Neighbor program. The company said it has invested $107 million in shareholder funds within the community over the last decade.
Utility officials said that over 2,300 of their employees volunteered for a total of more than 5,000 hours in the region in 2023.
“SDG&E has fostered a culture where employees are eager and willing to be a part of the change that is needed in our communities,” SDG&E Community Relations Director Kazeem Omidiji said.
The 2023 report is available at sdge.com/more-information/community.
–City News Service
