SoCalGas Volunteers to Help Sort 1.8 Million Pounds of Food to Help Labor Community Services "Stamp Out Hunger"

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Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will assist Labor Community Services (LCS) by providing 100 volunteers to sort over 1.8 million pounds of food donations from the 32nd Annual National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC) 'Stamp Out Hunger' Food Drive.

In addition to the manpower, SoCalGas will donate $25,000 to purchase groceries, potentially aiding around 1,000 families for up to five days. The 'Stamp Out Hunger' drive helps stock local food banks during the spring and summer when school meal programs aren't available.

SoCalGas has partnered with LCS since 2007, contributing significantly, including sorting 74,000 pounds of food in 2023, helping approximately 2,900 families. SoCalGas plans to invest $50 million in underserved communities over five years as part of their ASPIRE 2045 strategy.

Positive

• SoCalGas is contributing 100 volunteers to sort 1.8 million pounds of food.
• A $25,000 donation from SoCalGas to LCS will help feed approximately 1,000 families for up to five days.
• SoCalGas has a longstanding partnership with LCS since 2007.
• In 2023, SoCalGas volunteers sorted 74,000 pounds of food, aiding 2,900 families.
• As part of ASPIRE 2045, SoCalGas plans to invest $50 million in underserved communities over five years.
• SoCalGas contributed $19.2 million in charitable giving in 2023, with $15.4 million towards social impact initiatives.

Negative

• No financial or business risks or declines mentioned in the PR.

LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will help Labor Community Services (LCS) by bringing 100 volunteers to help sort over 1.8 million pounds of food donations collected through the 32^nd Annual National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC) "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive. The company will also present a $25,000 donation to LCS for groceries, which could aid approximately 1,000 families facing food insecurity for up to five days.

"Food banks receive the most food donations around Thanksgiving and Christmas. The NALC 'Stamp Out Hunger' food drive was initially started in May to ensure that local food banks have enough stock to meet demand in the spring and summer months when school breakfast and lunch programs are typically unavailable," said Yvonne Wheeler, president of the LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. "The foundation of the labor movement is solidarity, and it is thanks to NALC Branch 24, Labor Community Services, SoCalGas, and all the volunteers, that 1.8 million pounds of food will now assist our most vulnerable communities across LA County struggling with food insecurity during this poverty crisis." 

"In the richest nation, there isn't any reason why any family should go to bed hungry tonight. That is why support from community partners like SoCalGas is critical in the fight against food insecurity," said Norma López, executive director of LCS. "As SoCalGas' staff and volunteers help us sort the 1.8 million pounds of food we collected during this year's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, we are reminded of the impact that we can make together if we stick with one another so we each have the ability to make a difference in the lives of those who need help to get through the toughest of times."

"Labor Community Services and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO are dedicated to helping families in need, and SoCalGas is honored to support their efforts to Stamp Out Hunger," said Maryam Brown, president of SoCalGas. "Combatting hunger requires a united community-wide response and we are proud to play a part in that."

In Southern California, the "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive is conducted through the NALC Branch 24 in collaboration with LCS, and various labor unions affiliated to the AFL-CIO. This year's "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive collaborated with 45 post offices and 51 community partners.

For over six decades, LCS, (in collaboration with the AFL-CIO) has been assisting unemployed and underemployed union families in Los Angeles County with groceries during the year via pantries, the "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive and holiday toy and food distribution.

SoCalGas has supported LCS since 2007, and, in 2023, SoCalGas volunteers sorted 74,000 pounds of food that were distributed to food banks across Los Angeles County to feed approximately 2,900 families.

SoCalGas offers programs and services that can help customers manage their natural gas usage and help save energy and money. To see more programs that can help customers save money and energy, visit socalgas.com/Save.

As part of SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 sustainability strategy, the company plans to invest $50 million into underserved communities over five years, working to advance racial and gender diversity in the workplace and take steps towards a carbon-neutral future. In 2023, SoCalGas contributed $19.2 million in charitable giving, including $15.4 million towards social impact initiatives.

Individuals who are interested in helping LCS sort food donations can sign up on its website at lcs-la.org, with volunteer opportunities taking place now through July 1.

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About SoCalGas    

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas aims to deliver affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to approximately 21 million consumers across approximately 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. We believe gas delivered through our pipelines plays a key role in California's clean energy transition by supporting energy system reliability and resiliency and enabling integration of renewable resources. SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy infrastructure company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replace 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. RNG can be made from waste created by landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while working to keep bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy infrastructure company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on X (formerly Twitter) (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.     

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

In this press release, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "contemplate," "plan," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "envision," "should," "could," "would," "will," "confident," "may," "can," "potential," "possible," "proposed," "in process," "construct," "develop," "opportunity," "preliminary," "initiative," "target," "outlook," "optimistic," "poised," "positioned," "maintain," "continue," "progress," "advance," "goal," "aim," "commit," or similar expressions, or when we discuss our guidance, priorities, strategy, goals, vision, mission, opportunities, projections, intentions or expectations. 

Factors, among others, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: decisions, investigations, inquiries, regulations, denials or revocations of permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor contracts and commitments, by the (i) California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Internal Revenue Service and other regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S. and states, counties, cities and other jurisdictions therein where we do business; the success of business development efforts and construction projects, including risks related to (i) completing construction projects or other transactions on schedule and budget, (ii) realizing anticipated benefits from any of these efforts if completed, (iii) obtaining third-party consents and approvals and (iv) third parties honoring their contracts and commitments; macroeconomic trends or other factors that could change our capital expenditure plans and their potential impact on rate base or other growth; litigation, arbitrations and other proceedings, and changes to laws and regulations, including those related to tax and trade policy; cybersecurity threats, including by state and state-sponsored actors, of ransomware or other attacks on our systems or the systems of third parties with which we conduct business, including the energy grid or other energy infrastructure; the availability, uses, sufficiency, and cost of capital resources and our ability to borrow money on favorable terms and meet our obligations, including due to (i) actions by credit rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings or place those ratings on negative outlook, (ii) instability in the capital markets, or (iii) rising interest rates and inflation; the impact on affordability of our customer rates and our cost of capital and on our ability to pass through higher costs to customers due to (i) volatility in inflation, interest rates and commodity prices and (ii) the cost of meeting the demand for lower carbon and reliable energy in California; the impact of climate and sustainability policies, laws, rules, regulations, trends and required disclosures, including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas, increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory environment for California natural gas distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded assets, and uncertainty related to emerging technologies; weather, natural disasters, pandemics, accidents, equipment failures, explosions, terrorism, information system outages or other events, such as work stoppages, that disrupt our operations, damage our facilities or systems, cause the release of harmful materials or fires or subject us to liability for damages, fines and penalties, some of which may not be recoverable through regulatory mechanisms or insurance or may impact our ability to obtain satisfactory levels of affordable insurance; the availability of natural gas and natural gas storage capacity, including disruptions caused by failures in the pipeline system or limitations on the withdrawal of natural gas from storage facilities; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. 

These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that the company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on Sempra's website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements.

Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company or Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the CPUC.  

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.

FAQ

What is SoCalGas' role in the 'Stamp Out Hunger' Food Drive?

SoCalGas is providing 100 volunteers to help sort 1.8 million pounds of food and donating $25,000 to Labor Community Services.

How much food did SoCalGas volunteers sort in 2023?

In 2023, SoCalGas volunteers sorted 74,000 pounds of food, aiding approximately 2,900 families.

What is the value of SoCalGas' donation to Labor Community Services?

SoCalGas is donating $25,000 to Labor Community Services to purchase groceries.

What is SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 strategy?

ASPIRE 2045 is SoCalGas' strategy to invest $50 million in underserved communities over five years, advance racial and gender diversity, and work towards a carbon-neutral future.

What are the benefits of SoCalGas' donation to the community?

The $25,000 donation will help feed around 1,000 families for up to five days, and the volunteer efforts support food banks during critical times.