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Local, family-owned restaurants are the bread and butter of the small-business community, and now, some of those restaurants are getting fresh financial help from the California Restaurant Foundation and The PG&E Corporation Foundation.
The two foundations have partnered to provide $5,000 grants to 17 restaurants and commercial caterers in the Central Coast.
The PG&E Foundation’s contribution to the California Restaurant Foundation’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund will help recipients pay for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and training to help restaurant owners invest in their business and people. The grants are going to California resident restaurant owners with fewer than five locations and less than $3 million in revenue. The grants prioritized minority- and women-owned businesses.
“Many of these restaurants are owned by families who live in our communities. They are places where we love to gather, celebrate and make memories. As small businesses that help drive our local economies, they are the hearts and souls of our communities. We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the California Restaurant Foundation to support our local restaurants and help ensure their sustained success,” said Jeremy Howard, regional senior manager for PG&E’s South Bay and Central Coast Region.
The PG&E Foundation contributed the funding for the grants, as well as funding for the California Restaurant Foundation to run the grant program through its Restaurants Care Resilience Fund. Funding for the grants comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers.
Grant recipients in the Central Coast:
San Benito County
- Margot’s Ice Cream Parlor (San Juan Bautista)
Monterey County
- Lucky Bamboo (Gonzales)
- Siam Marina Thai Cuisine (Marina)
- Lemongrass Seafood Bar & Grill Thai Cuisine (Moss Landing)
- Little Korea USA (Monterey)
- Lucy’s On Lighthouse (Pacific Grove)
- Wild Fish Restaurant (Pacific Grove)
- Parkfield Cafe (Parkfield)
San Luis Obispo County
- The Quarterdeck Seafood Bar & Grill (Arroyo Grande)
- Celia’s Garden Cafe (Los Osos)
- Carlas Country Kitchen (Morro Bay)
- Frankie and Lola’s Front Street Cafe (Morro Bay)
- Fruit Paradise Mexican Style (San Luis Obispo)
- Shekamoo Grill (San Luis Obispo)
- Della’s Woodfired Pizza & Cocktails (Paso Robles)
- Pig Iron (Templeton)
The regional grants are part of a larger program that covers PG&E’s service area. Systemwide, The PG&E Foundation and the California Restaurant Foundation partnered to give $5,000 grants to 239 restaurants in 30 counties across PG&E’s service area. The charitable contributions will total $1.4 million. Both the number of grant recipients and the total dollar amount are records for the partnership since it began in 2021.
Since 2021, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed $5.7 million in funding to the CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, providing grants ranging from $3,000 to $5,000. In total, PG&E has funded grants to 1,102 restaurants and commercial caterers in Northern and Central California. (To see past grant recipients in PG&E’s service area, watch our “From Kitchen to Community” video.)
Assisting Restaurants and Small and Medium Businesses
PG&E remains committed to providing ways for its small and medium business customers to save energy and money amid economic hardships including the pandemic and inflation. Here are some ways PG&E is helping its customers:
- On-Bill Financing: PG&E offers 0% interest loans for replacing old and worn-out equipment with more energy-efficient models. Watch this video to explore how energy savings are reinvested back into your business to help improve your bottom line.
- Rebates for food service equipment: PG&E offers several rebate programs that will help you save money and improve productivity when you upgrade your food service equipment.
- Food Service Technology Center. Access key training programs, design consultants and test kitchen plans to improve your operations and energy efficiency.
- Budget Billing: If you are a small business owner, you can have a predictable bill each month by enrolling in Budget Billing. The program averages out your monthly bill to determine your monthly payment, instead of having unpredictable summer bills.
- Energy Efficiency Programs: PG&E contracts with external companies to provide a customized solution for different business sectors.
- Find Your Lowest-cost Rate Plan: Customers can use this online tool to run a rate analysis to see if they are on the lowest-cost rate plan for their operations. Last year, customers saved $5.4 Million dollars.
- Economic Development Rate: This offers eligible business customers the opportunity to lower costs through one of three reduced electric rate options. PG&E developed this rate to help businesses grow or maintain jobs in California. The standard 12% rate discount is available throughout our service territory.
Small and medium-sized business owners can also connect directly with an account manager in their local community: Get To Know Your Small Business Relationship Manager | PG&E
For more information on the California Restaurant Foundation, Restaurants Care, or the Restaurant Resilience Fund, visit restaurantscare.org.