Grant will provide funding to support technical education through the Palo Verde College Foundation

San Francisco, CA –The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has partnered with NextEra Energy Resources to provide $100,000 in grant funding for scholarships at Palo Verde College as part of COVID-19 relief efforts in Blythe, California and its surrounding area in Riverside County.

The SFPUC, and its community choice aggregation (CCA) program CleanPowerSF, contracted with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources to expand a solar array in the area that will supply renewable energy to nearly 380,000 CleanPowerSF customers in San Francisco. As part of that contract agreement, NextEra Energy Resources has already committed to provide over $250,000 in local community benefits that support the needs of the City of Blythe and surrounding communities. 
 
“Supporting the community is a cornerstone of the SFPUC’s service, including areas where we and our contractors are working.” said SFPUC General Manager Harlan L. Kelly, Jr. “We are proud to support students in their pursuit of higher education, especially in STEM and technical programs.” 
 
The $100,000 in scholarship funds for Palo Verde College students will support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. Scholarships are available to students in STEM majors and Career Technical Programs such as welding, automotive programs, trades and construction building. Eligible students may receive up to $1,000 per semester for two semesters for program associated costs, including enrollment fees and equipment needed for courses such as textbooks and supplies. Scholarships are also available for incarcerated students at two facilities where Palo Verde College offers distance learning for incarcerated people.

“The funding received from NextEra Energy Resources and other partners helps us continue to support our Palo Verde College students pursuing their education,” said Stephanie Slagan, PVC Foundation Executive Director. “We are proud to partner with NextEra as we invest in our students’ futures and facilitate their road to success.” 
 
Earlier this year, the SFPUC and NextEra Energy Resources partnered to distribute $170,000 in COVID-19 relief grant funding to the City of Blythe along with community organizations Lift to Rise and the Riverside Latino Commission Counseling Center. The funding supported food distribution, mental health services and homeless services.
 
“At NextEra Energy Resources we believe in supporting the communities where our projects call home,” said NextEra Energy Resources senior vice president of development Matt Handel. “We know first-hand how important STEM education is and we are thrilled to be partnering with Palo Verde College to support local students with their education and future.”

The SFPUC’s Social Impact Partnership Program invites private sector firm partners to give back to the communities in which they are performing work on behalf of the SFPUC. The SFPUC is the first public utility in the country to implement a social impact program that advances corporate social responsibility as a part of its competitive bidding process for professional services, alternative delivery and energy procurement contracts. 
 
Additional examples of the SFPUC’s Social Impact Partnership program include the Maisin Scholar Award, which provides financial support for local youth to pursue higher education, CityWorks, which offers paid internships for young adults in San Francisco’s Southeast communities, and the Phoenix Fund, a small business assistance program for local companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission 
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is a department of the City and County of San Francisco. It delivers drinking water to 2.7 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area, collects and treats wastewater for the City and County of San Francisco, and generates clean power for municipal buildings, residents, and businesses. Our mission is to provide our customers with high quality, efficient and reliable water, power, and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.  

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