A $337,000 grant from the PGE Drive Change Fund has allowed Meals on Wheels People to purchase two electric vehicles and install electric vehicle charging stations at its headquarters in Multnomah Village. The first of the two vehicles and the charging stations will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 10 a.m. at 7710 SW 31st Avenue in Portland.
The PGE Drive Change Fund is funded by the DEQ’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program and is awarded annually through a competitive grant process. Meals on Wheels People received the gift in 2020 and was able to purchase a Nissan Leaf and a Ford Transit Cargo Van for its Meals 4 Kids program. Meals 4 Kids serves qualified children and families within the City of Portland experiencing food insecurity and is funded by the Portland Children’s Levy. The vehicles will be used to deliver meals. In addition, the grant provided enough funding to install three electric vehicle charging stations at the Meals on Wheels People headquarters, allowing staff, volunteers and the public to charge their vehicles while on location.
“This grant was a game-changer for us,” said Meals on Wheels People CEO Suzanne Washington. “Not only has it expanded our fleet of vehicles used for the Meals 4 Kids program, it provided enough funding to install electric vehicle charging stations at our headquarters. Meals on Wheels People is committed to responsible stewardship of resources. Sustainability is part of our corporate culture and why we were recently named one of the 100 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon. We are extremely grateful to PGE and the Drive Change Fund for supporting good nutrition for children and families!”
Dan Janosec, Grants Manager at PGE, said, “We celebrate the work Meals on Wheels People does every day, so we were excited to partner with them on introducing electric transportation to serve children and families in need. Working together, we can make our communities healthier through providing nutritious food and using cleaner transportation.”
About Meals on Wheels People: Meals on Wheels People has been changing lives, one meal at a time, since 1970. We provide more than a meal to thousands of older adults in the greater Portland metro area. Our service not only alleviates hunger and social isolation, but allows seniors to live independently with dignity in their own homes. Aging in place reduces depression, falls and hospitalization as well as the high cost of institutional care. For more information, visit: mowp.org.
About Portland General Electric: Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves approximately 900,000 customers with a service area population of 2 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE has 16 generation plants in five Oregon counties, and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years, PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. In 2019, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $4.3 million and volunteered 32,900 hours with more than 700 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/news.