Pacific Gas and Electric
Company Employees Reach Out to Those in Need
SAN FRANCISCO - The softened
economy and downturn in charitable giving has meant that this year
more than ever before, Pacific Gas and Electric Company employees
are giving their time and energy to those in need throughout its
70,000 square mile service area.
The company's 18,000 employees
are collaborating with a host of non-profit groups, schools, churches
and elected officials to reach out to the less fortunate with their
time and money.
In Sacramento, Customer
Call Center representatives are granting wishes to more than a dozen
families by providing food, toys and clothing.
"During a time with so much
uncertainty in our world, it makes all of us feel great and very
fortunate to be in the position to help where we can," said Call
Center Manager Kevin McCoy. Sacramento customer service representatives
who have been involved in the Adopt-a-Family program for the past
six years say this program and others like it are more important
to employees that ever before.
Employees in Concord adopted
one needy family, whose plight touched the hearts of the workers.
They passed around the "hard hat" - collecting more than $2,000
- to ensure an elderly woman would have basic necessities, including
energy. The Concord crew, organized by distribution supervisor Patty
McKay, also went to her home making repairs, and enrolling her in
the company's CARE program - a program especially tailored for situations
like this. In Fresno, employees will warm the hearts of 100 foster
kids by providing gifts and clothing to the kids they have dubbed
their adopted "angels".
Said Customer Service Representative
Martha Bencome, "My little angel's name is Amanda, a 10 year-old
foster child. I am very lucky that everyone I know and love is doing
relatively well and is healthy and safe. But, that's not the case
with all the families in the Central Valley." She says, "I never
want to take for granted the gifts I have been given and it makes
it very special to me that I can share my good fortune with others
in our area."
According to Kim Lytton,
director of call center operations, "This year PG&E employees are
focused on helping our customers - whether that means keeping them
safe in a storm, offering conservation tips, or remembering others
who may need our help."
Other examples of outreach
efforts this holiday by Pacific Gas and Electric Company employees
include:
-
Diablo Canyon employees
provide gifts for more than 190 children through the Salvation
Army's "Secret Santa" program
-
Santa Maria employees
donate leashes, pet food, bowls and toys for the local Humane
Society
-
Santa Maria employees
collect canned goods for local food bank
-
Santa Rosa employees
donate gifts through adopted "paper angels" program
-
San Francisco California
Gas Transmission employees donate nearly 400 books and dozens
of coats to the Early Learning Institute in Rohnert Park
-
Santa Cruz service center
employee adopt a local homeless family
-
Capitola employees donate
nearly 1,000 pounds of food to the Second Harvest Food Bank