LOS ANGELES, Aug. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern
California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced the launch of
the company's Restaurant Recovery Program, which aims to assist
Black-owned restaurants in both Los
Angeles County and the Inland Empire that have been affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will be administered by the
Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC), a
community-based organization that provides economic opportunities
for prosperity by infusing resources into neighborhoods that need
support the most. The Restaurant Recovery Program was announced in
conjunction with Los Angeles Black
Restaurant Week, of which SoCalGas is a proud sponsor. Black
Restaurant Week is part of a larger, ongoing effort to support
Black-owned businesses in the Los
Angeles area.
"Black restaurant owners suffer disproportionately from the ills
of this pandemic," said VSEDC's President & CEO Joseph T. Rouzan III. "This critical infusion of
capital allows restaurateurs to make vital upgrades to help stay
afloat during these challenging times."
"As our nation faces the negative economic impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to support business owners in the
communities we serve. The Restaurant Recovery Program will provide
some relief to Black-owned restaurant owners struggling during this
time," said Trisha Muse, director of
community relations at SoCalGas. "We are also pleased to support
Black Restaurant Week Los Angeles. This is a wonderful way to
celebrate and support Black-owned businesses in our community and
we look forward to participating."
Awarded to restaurants including Watts Coffee House, Hot and
Cool Cafe, Post and Beam, and Pip's on La Brea, the grants range
from $1,000 to $5,000 and can be used for payroll assistance,
sanitizing and personal protective equipment, plexiglass, energy
efficiency upgrades or repairs, energy audits and more. The
Restaurant Recovery Program runs through the end of the year or
until funds are depleted.
"It is with warm appreciation that 27th Street Bakery would like
to thank Southern California Gas Company for their generous grant
offering," said Jeanette
Bolden-Pickens, owner of 27th Street Bakery. "As
a family owned business serving the community since 1956, this
grant will have an immediate impact. Your generosity will help us
to purchase shrink wrap equipment which will help create a
healthier environment in this time of COVID-19. We appreciate
Southern California Gas Company and VSEDC for their efforts in
keeping 27th Street Bakery a 'sweet' spot in the local
community."
"VSEDC has been fundamental to the economic navigation in South
LA," said John Cleveland, owner of
Post and Beam. "We are grateful for the opportunity to meet the
challenge of supporting and uplifting our community. Post &
Beam plays a significant role in the South Los Angeles community that we intend to
uphold. It has been a challenge to prepare for a safe and
sustainable outdoor dining environment. We intend to use the funds
provided by the SoCalGas/VSEDC recovery grant to provide this much
needed experience to our community."
SoCalGas announced the program in conjunction with Black
Restaurant Week in Los
Angeles, August 7-16. SoCalGas
is the presenting sponsor of the week-long event. The company will
participate in the Aroma Culinary Panel Discussion by way of
VSEDC's President and CEO, Joe
Rouzan on August 18.
"In these uncertain times we want to give small businesses an
economic boost while raising their visibility in the greater
Los Angeles area. They have been a
part of the local fabric of this city and it is important that they
have a platform to continue to succeed," said Warren Luckett, founder of Black Restaurant
Week.
Founded in 2016, Black Restaurant Week® is dedicated to
celebrating the flavors of African-American, African, and
Caribbean cuisine nationwide.
Through a series of events and promotional campaigns, Black
Restaurant Week's culinary initiatives help introduce culinary
businesses and culinary professionals to the community.
Ninety-six percent of professional chefs prefer natural gas
for safe, reliable and cost-efficient operations. As California aims to become carbon neutral by
2045, SoCalGas will continue to provide, reliable, affordable and
increasingly renewable gas to business owners and residents alike.
Last year, SoCalGas announced its vision to become the
cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable
and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. The utility has
set goal of replacing 20% of the gas it supplies to residential and
most commercial customers with renewable natural
gas (RNG) by 2030. SoCalGas is also pursuing research into
renewable hydrogen.
SoCalGas COVID-19 Response
SoCalGas has donated more than $2.5 million to
nonprofit organizations for COVID-19 recovery efforts, including
supporting the region's workforce, feeding the hungry, providing
bill assistance to customers, and more.
Together, the Sempra Energy family of companies – including
SoCalGas's sister California utility San Diego Gas and Electric,
and the Sempra Energy Foundation – have donated more
than $12.5 million to those in need during this
crisis.
For more information on SoCalGas's response to the COVID-19
pandemic, please visit www.socalgas.com/coronavirus.
About Black Restaurant Week
Black Restaurant Week LLC is an annual, multi-city culinary
movement celebrating the flavors of African, African-American and
Caribbean cuisine nationwide.
Black Restaurant Week partners with black-owned restaurants, chefs,
caterers and food trucks to host a selection of culinary
experiences aimed to expand awareness and increase support for
black culinary professionals. The organization was founded in 2016
by entrepreneurs Warren Luckett,
Falayn Ferrell and Derek Robinson.
Connect with Black Restaurant Week on Facebook, Twitter &
Instagram.
About VSEDC
For nearly four decades, VSEDC has
facilitated community development of the South Los
Angeles area by providing programs that revitalize the
physical, economic, and social life of the community. A
newly-designated Community Development Financial Institution
(CDFI), VSEDC has developed and implemented a comprehensive
approach to community economic development that includes
business development, access to capital, technical assistance and
training, residential housing, commercial, and industrial
development.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los
Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas
distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas
delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas
service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square
miles of Central and Southern California, where more than
90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water,
cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the
company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity
to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power
generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.
SoCalGas's vision is to be the cleanest gas utility
in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly
renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision,
SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional
natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by
2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by
dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is
also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure
while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through
2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade
and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and
reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra
Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based
in San Diego. For more information visit
socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter
(@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/socalgas-launches-restaurant-recovery-program-donating-75-000-to-black-owned-restaurants-in-los-angeles-county--inland-empire-301111194.html
SOURCE Southern California Gas Company