SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2017 – Today, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) kicked off its eighth annual “Environmental Champions” initiative, which supports non-profit community programs focused on environmental stewardship in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The community-focused giving initiative is a key way the energy company is working to achieve its mission of improving lives and communities by building the cleanest, safest and most reliable energy company in America.
Environmental Champions is a core element of the company’s efforts to support organizations through charitable grants and employee volunteerism that support environmental and community engagement programs geared towards climate science education for both children and adults.
“Inspiring the next generation to help clean the air we breathe and enhance our environment takes a community focus on environmental education,” said Eugene “Mitch” Mitchell, SDG&E’s vice president of state governmental affairs and external affairs. “The programs supported by Environmental Champions are already achieving real results as we work together to build cleaner, safer and healthier communities.”
“I get to introduce children to an invaluable learning experience that doesn’t just teach – it gets them excited about science and environmental stewardship,” said Ben Vallejos, executive director of the Living Coast Discovery Center. “SDG&E’s support is critical as we work to bring awareness to the community and ignite a passion for making the world a better place. We appreciate the financial support – but we also appreciate the involvement from employees and volunteers who help us deliver our mission.”
Non-profits whose programs incorporate climate education in the areas of clean air, including electric transportation education, water and energy, can apply online through April 17. Grants will range from $2,500 to $25,000 for individual programs and projects. SDG&E plans to announce the grant recipients early this summer.
Learn more about SDG&E’s ongoing community engagement efforts at sdge.com/community.
SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides safe, reliable, clean energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. More than 4,100 employees work to provide the cleanest and most reliable energy in the West. The company has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in addressing climate change, was the first to meet California’s goal of delivering 33 percent of energy from renewable sources, has fueled the adoption of electric vehicles and energy efficiency through unique customer programs, and supports a number of non-profit partners. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on Twitter (@SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.