YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Receives $325,000 Donation to Address Food Insecurity from SoCalGas' Fueling Our Communities Initiative

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06/27/2023 - 05:15 PM

SoCalGas' $4 Million Initiative Fueling Our Communities will provide food for families and seniors in need; Largest Donation to the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles will provide 20,000 meals

LOS ANGELES, June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of SoCalGas' 2023 Fueling Our Communities initiative, the company announced a $325,000 donation to the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. This donation to the YMCA-LA's program, FEED LA, will serve approximately 20,000 low-income residents throughout Los Angeles County with "Grab and Go" meals and fresh produce.

The grant to the YMCA-LA is the largest of several other anticipated donations to local charities, funding local nonprofits' programs to provide meals and groceries for low-income individuals this year. SoCalGas is expanding the impact of the 2023 Fueling Our Communities initiative by allocating $4 million, the largest commitment to date, to new and existing partnerships with food banks and nonprofits throughout SoCalGas' 12-county service area.

"In the face of food insecurity, our district's strength lies in the unwavering commitment of organizations like the YMCA, dedicated to fostering equitable access to nutritional meals for those in need," said Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34). "Through the generous support of community partners, the YMCA will extend its reach, providing even more nutritious food to families and individuals across the district. Meanwhile, I will continue working in Congress to expand food nutrition programs and ensure healthy meals are accessible and affordable for everyone."

"Food insecurity is a serious crisis that affects a significant number of residents in LA County," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, representing the First District. "I am grateful for community partners such as the YMCA, which strives to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has equitable access to nourishing meals. I extend my sincere gratitude to SoCalGas for their generous contribution, as it will empower the YMCA to expand the number of meals it provides to individuals and families in need across the County."

The YMCA Of Metropolitan Los Angeles' FEED LA program provides fresh food and nutritious meals in underserved areas and is aimed toward ending food insecurity in Los Angeles County. Hunger continues to be a pressing and widespread issue with a recent study revealing approximately 1 in 4 residents face food insecurity. The YMCA-LA remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring Los Angeles residents have access to healthy food choices. To date, the YMCA-LA's food insecurity programs have distributed over 9 million pounds of fresh produce to low-income families and seniors.

"The YMCA-LA Feed LA program has fed thousands of families in need throughout Los Angeles for over two years," said Victor Dominguez, President and CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. "As a result of SoCalGas's generous contribution to the program, we can continue to fight food insecurity in communities that need help the most and we are grateful for their partnership and support."

By partnering with SoCalGas, the YMCA-LA is able to expand the program to San Fernando Valley communities in need, fund home deliveries for seniors, and increase the frequency of the Feed LA program at some locations, while continuing to serve families at Y branches throughout Los Angeles County. Both the YMCA-LA and SoCalGas are committed to bridging the gap in food access for underserved communities by providing nutritious meals and groceries to thousands of families.

"Fueling Our Communities is one way we demonstrate SoCalGas' commitment to investing in our service area communities. Partnering with the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles was an easy choice because of their reach and relationships with the communities they serve," said SoCalGas Chief Operating Officer Jimmie Cho. "Food insecurity is a critical issue across the state, with many local food banks reporting that they are serving double the amount of people compared with 2019. This initiative began during the COVID-19 pandemic and partnerships like this one with the LA Y have helped provide tens of thousands of families with fresh produce and food."

The Fueling Our Communities initiative began in 2020 as a collaborative effort between SoCalGas and five regional nonprofits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During its first summer, the program successfully provided more than 140,000 meals to 40,000 individuals from underserved communities across Southern California.

SoCalGas is expanding the impact of the 2023 Fueling Our Communities initiative by allocating $4 million, the largest commitment to date, to new and existing partnerships with food banks and nonprofits throughout SoCalGas' 12-county service area. This expansion will primarily focus on serving families and seniors in need, providing vulnerable populations with food support that is so needed.

SoCalGas remains committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves, and the Fueling Our Communities effort is a testament to this ongoing dedication. By addressing food insecurity in Los Angeles County, SoCalGas and its partners aim to create a healthier and more sustainable future for all.

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About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to over 21 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.

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 replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping 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 Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

About the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles: The YMCA-LA is committed to rebuilding communities by providing equitable programs and services to empower all Angelenos. The Y-LA is focused on fighting food insecurity, providing equity in education, making sure every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of sports, ensuring kids and teens have a safe place to grow, learn and live a healthy lifestyle. The LA-Y's health and wellness initiatives offer medical and mental health resources to ensure everyone has access to basic health needs. During the pandemic, the LA-Y became the safety net for millions of Angelenos. They provided millions of meals, hundreds of thousands of hours of free childcare, arranged critical blood drives, provided showers for the homeless, flu and COVID vaccines as well as medical and mental health assistance. Visit https://www.ymcala.org for more information. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.