89 Local Restaurants Receive Assistance Grants Through Restaurants Care Resilience Fund

For the third year in a row, SoCalGas has participated in the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund by donating $1,000,000 to support small businesses and drive positive change in diverse and underserved communities across California

LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 89 independently owned restaurants across Central and Southern California received $5,000 grants from the California Restaurant Foundation's (CRF) Restaurants Care Resilience Fund. Each restaurant receiving a grant can use the funds for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and employee training, allowing California's independent restaurant owners to continue their businesses during challenging times. The $2.1 million fund, supported by SoCalGas with a $1,000,000 donation, and other California utility companies, is the largest to date in terms of overall funding, individual grant sizes and grant utilization.

"With the generosity of SoCalGas, the Resilience Fund helped California's independent restaurant community for a third consecutive year," said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRF. "It's apparent that there is still a significant need for restaurant assistance, as we received 25% more applications this year than last. While these grants will allow local restaurant owners to build more resilient businesses, we also hope to inspire Californians to support their vibrant local restaurant community in any way they can, whether that's through dining, sharing on social media or spreading the word to friends and family."

"SoCalGas and the California Restaurant Foundation are truly creating a positive impact on the lives of small business owners, their employees, and the communities these restaurants serve," said Assemblymember Mike Gipson. "Through this fund, SoCalGas is helping our favorite local restaurants be successful now and long into the future."

"Local restaurants, the heart and soul of our community, are where friendships are forged, milestones celebrated, and delicious meals enjoyed. I'm pleased to witness the partnership of SoCalGas and the California Restaurant Foundation, extending vital aid to our cherished restaurants, often family-owned enterprises. With this support, we ensure their thriving existence, cultivating an environment where tasty meals and lasting connections flourish," said Thousand Oaks Mayor Kevin McNamee.

"Thank you SoCalGas for allowing us to reward our employees who worked through the hardest times with us, and for giving us support in covering our bills. This grant has raised our team's morale and helped us for the best," said Valeria Loera, owner and manager of Lichis Mex LLC in Tujunga.

"The grant is going to be used for equipment and maintenance on our storefront. More importantly, this direct support makes our restaurant feel seen and heard, empowering us with financial resources to achieve our goal of serving our customers with high-quality food and service," said Virgie Van Horst of Great Steak Bomb Hoagie in Simi Valley.

Of the 89 grant recipients in SoCalGas' service area, 64% of this year's grant winners identify as female and 84% identify as people of color. About 64% of the grant funds will be used for equipment and technology upgrades and around 36% of the $5,000 grants will be put towards unforeseen hardships, employee training, and employee bonuses. To qualify, the restaurants needed to have five units or less, and less than $3 million in revenue. To see the full list of grant recipients, please visit www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.

Impressively, the Resilience Fund has provided financial assistance to nearly 1,000 independent restaurants across California over the last three years. The Resilience Fund is currently accepting additional support from corporations, foundations and individuals who want to invest in California's vibrant restaurant community. Donations of all sizes are accepted and celebrated at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.

For more information about the California Restaurant Foundation or their Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, please visit www.restaurantscare.org.

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About the California Restaurant Foundation (CRF):
California is home to more than 90,000 eating and drinking places that ring up more than $72 billion in sales and employ more than 1.6 million workers, making restaurants an indisputable driving force in the state's economy. The California Restaurant Foundation is a non-profit that empowers and invests in California's restaurant workforce. Founded in 1981, CRF supports the restaurant community through relief grants for restaurant workers facing a hardship, job and life skills training for 13,500 high school students each year, and scholarships. For more information visit www.calrestfoundation.org.

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. 

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company