EMPOWER - HOPE_Annual Giving

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HELEN TORRES,

A SoCalGas Publication
Hispanas
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE ANNUAL GIVING HIGHLIGHTS Issue 1 | Q2 2024 HOPE
LEADING WITH
Organized for Political Equality
THEY’RE LIFTING UP THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE A VOICE.

2023 ANNUAL GIVING LETTER CULTIVATING COMMUNITIES

With the many challenges facing our society, community giving is more important than ever. Donating time and resources to local organizations supports communities and creates a more just and equitable society.

All around us, Southern California organizations are doing outstanding work for local communities. Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), the cover story subject of this issue of Empower, elevates Hispanas to positions of influence to give them a voice regionally, statewide, and nationally. HOPE’s sustained efforts over the last 26 years has produced great results, with 84 percent of HOPE Leadership Institute (HLI) alumnae holding nonprofit board and statewide commission positions.

Dolores Huerta, a lifelong activist and advocate for workers’ rights and social justice, famously said about leadership: “Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.” Her words highlight the importance of leadership and community engagement to improve our world. HOPE and Dolores Huerta understand that progress requires societies to work together to achieve common goals, and their work aligns directly with SoCalGas’ values of Do the Right Thing, Champion People, and Shape the Future.

HOPE’s commitment to community is mirrored in the actions of other vital Los Angeles organizations. The LA Urban League holds workforce training programs to provide career opportunities and increased earning potential for Angelenos. Brotherhood Crusade provides meals during the holidays to families in need as part of our Fueling our Communities initiative. And the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region promotes emergency preparedness, customer safety education, resilience, and response efforts.

SoCalGas proudly supports these organizations and others through initiatives like the SoCal Climate Champions, which spotlights nonprofit organizations working to clean the air, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide organic waste diversion solutions. The Climate Champions are part of the over 1,400 nonprofits SoCalGas supports, throughout our service territory, to create a future of opportunity, prosperity, and a deep sense of belonging.

The work these outstanding organizations are doing to promote customer safety, social impact, and sustainability is inspiring and humbling, and SoCalGas is honored to support them. Together, we are building a better California.

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LETTER FROM THE VP OF COMMUNICATIONS

IN THIS ISSUE

ANNUAL GIVING HIGHLIGHTS

SoCalGas invested over $19M in 2023 to help empower the communities we serve.

EMPLOYEES IN ACTION

LEADING WITH HOPE

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality® (HOPE) elevates Latinas through leadership, advocacy, and education, creating engagement and impact in our communities.

In 2023, SoCalGas employees logged over 20,000 hours to help people in our community.

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A SoCalGas volunteer assembles hygiene kits for the Downtown Women’s Shelter at an employee resource group event. On the Cover: Erika Contreras (HLI 2010) being sworn in as Secretary of the California Senate
SOCALGAS 4

2023 ANNUAL GIVING HIGHLIGHTS

At SoCalGas, our commitment to provide customers with safe, reliable service goes beyond natural gas. We are also dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities we serve. We give our energy, time, and financial support and focus our efforts in areas where we can make a difference. 87% of these contributions went to support diverse and underserved communities. This is part of SoCalGas’ commitment to invest $50M to diverse and underserved communities over five years.

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SOCALGAS 6 *Total community investment does not include lobbying fees. It does include grants disbursed from the Donor Advised Fund in 2023. TOTAL INVESTMENT FOR $19.2M* 2023 1,419 CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO OVER 2023 ANNUAL GIVING HIGHLIGHTS 12 COUNTIES

$1.7M

$15.4M SOCIAL IMPACT LOCAL CHAMBERS & BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

SOCALGAS EMPLOYEES GIVE BACK

$3.1M RAISED BY SOCALGAS EMPLOYEES** AND OVER 20K+ VOLUNTEER HOURS** ~65% SERVED ON NONPROFIT BOARDS OF SOCALGAS LEADERSHIP TEAM

$1.4M **Includes Sempra Foundation matches FOR CUSTOMER AND COMMUNITY RELIEF EFFORTS OVER $11M

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PILLAR SAFETY
$700K SUSTAINABILITY

SAFETY

American Red Cross Los Angeles Region

SoCalGas granted $95,000 to the American Red Cross, which includes hygiene kits to support veterans as part of its Service to the Armed Forces program, volunteer activities at its Veteran Safety Stand Down, Sound the Alarm in East Los Angeles to install smoke alarms, and provide the local community with fire prevention and emergency preparedness tips, and multiple blood drives at SoCalGas facilities.

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Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Planning Grants

SoCalGas granted $100,000 to local governments and tribal communities for Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Planning. This program provides support to help communities prepare for planning and recovery from climate change risks, such as extreme heat, wildfires, drought, subsidence, sea level rise, flooding, and mudslides. Awardees included the City of Costa Mesa for their Climate Vulnerability Assessment (RCVA) proposal and the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Erosion Recovery Project, which can help ensure Soboba is more resilient to storm and flooding vulnerability.

Rose Bowl Aquatics

Center

SoCalGas presented the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center with a $50,000 grant to support water safety initiatives and swim lessons for underserved youth in the San Gabriel Valley. This will allow an additional 200+ fifth-grade students to participate in their Water Safety Program.

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SUSTAINABILITY

SoCal Climate Champions Grant

The SoCal Climate Champions Grant invests up to $400,000 annually in programs, projects, and research that address community climate solutions in Southern California. This program is designed to encourage and foster clean, safe, and innovative solutions towards decarbonization, diversification, and digitalization towards a clean energy future. In 2023, $400,000 was awarded to 13 nonprofit organizations for their projects that propose to advance climate solutions in Southern California such as reducing, mitigating, and sequestering greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and organic waste diversion solutions in the communities we live and serve.

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Nearly 100 SoCalGas volunteers participated in six Earth Month events throughout our service territory. Nonprofit organizations included LA Compost, the California State Parks Foundation, Friends of the Desert Mountains, Friends of Ballona Wetlands, and Ventura Land Trust.

California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) Hydrogen Projects

Cal State LA is a comprehensive urban university five miles from downtown Los Angeles. It is one of the most culturally diverse four-year institutions in the country. It is located at the intersection of the largest Latino and Asian communities in the nation and near California’s most prominent African American community. With the help of SoCalGas engineers, the students developed a model of a modern HVAC system for SoCalGas’ Hydrogen Innovation Experience (H2IE). They can simulate different conditions, optimize parameters, play with various scenarios, such as building a similar H2 home in the desert or the mountains, and check how that would affect their HVAC system. In the second project, students assess the engineering challenges of transitioning from natural gas to hydrogen for a given service at the campus, as well as complete transition or blended concentrations. They began by doing a literature review on fuel interchangeability and reviewing the methods and standards available to ensure safe combustion. Using modeling software, they plan to simulate the gas blends and ignition in different burner types. Lastly, the goal is to live blend into a burner to evaluate the flame characteristics, ensure the equipment was tuned correctly for the new fuel blend, and compare it against the models they created.

The zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) industry has increasingly reached out to academia for engineering graduates with specific experience in fuel cells and hydrogen. Cal State LA’s most unique assets include its Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility (HRFF), the world’s first such facility located on a university campus and the internship program it offers. To implement an effective strategy to train the future ZEV engineering workforce, Cal State LA developed and implemented a new training curriculum bridging skills gaps for future ZEV engineers, helping to ensure California’s aim to produce a viable workforce. Building upon its strong regional network with local community colleges, including Cerritos Community College, the Cal State LA program will include strong partnerships between educational institutions and industry leaders.

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Earth
Month

SOCIAL IMPACT

2023 Comprehensive Community and Customer Campaign

$11M in total grants awarded to help customers with bill assistance and to bolster community resources for those facing economic hardship and to support low-income families, seniors, and small restaurant owners impacted by the unprecedented regional gas market prices.

Gas Assistance Fund

The Gas Assistance Fund is a program administered by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles that provides income-qualified customers with one-time grants to help pay their natural gas bills. United Way works with nonprofit organizations throughout our service territory to manage the program. In 2023, SoCalGas expanded eligibility and incentives, awarding over $6M to more than 18,900 families. This contribution was the largest in the fund’s 40-year history. It helped United Way expand income eligibility for the program and increase the grant amount available to each qualified customer from $100 to up to $400. Additionally, incomeeligible older adults (55+) and those facing certain financial hardships were eligible for extra grant funding.

Fueling Our Communities

In 2023, SoCalGas expanded the impact of the Fueling Our Communities initiative by investing $4 million in new and existing partnerships with 59 nonprofits throughout SoCalGas’ 12-county service area, delivering over 6 million meals and over 4 million pounds of groceries to families and seniors in need. This initiative began in 2020 as a collaboration between SoCalGas and five regional nonprofits to provide free meals to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restaurant Resilience Fund

SoCalGas donated $1 million to the Restaurant Resilience Fund to help even more independent restaurants struggling to make ends meet, helping 177 restaurants in our service area in 2023 (60% identified as women-owned and 80% BIPOC-owned). Since the inception of this program, SoCalGas has helped 471 restaurants in our service area.

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USC Viterbi K-12 STEM Center Energy of STEM Summer Camp

In partnership with USC Viterbi K-12 STEM, more than 65 SoCalGas employees hosted the annual Energy of STEM summer camp. The program promotes better understanding and knowledge surrounding science, technology, engineering, and math. The camp is open to the public, emphasizing low-income and minority middle and high school students. Over 75 students had the opportunity to explore hands-on activities in aerodynamics, physics, coding, green energy, electronics, and more during the week-long free summer camp. The classes were led by SoCalGas engineers and assisted by USC Viterbi K-12 STEM center staff and USC undergraduates.

Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC)

In 2023, SoCalGas was the lead sponsor for the Building Industry Association of Southern California’s Junior Builder camp. The three-day camp hosted at the SoCalGas Energy Resource Center in Downey, aimed to inspire the “Next Generation of Builders” by providing 30 junior builders between the ages of 9-14 the opportunity to experience multiple disciplines within the homebuilding industry, including construction, architecture, and engineering. The campers were selected by local youth organizations, including STEAM:CODERS, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, and Boys & Girls Club of Whittier. Over three days, the students toured the SoCalGas Hydrogen Innovation Experience (H2IE), attended a guided field trip to a new construction site in Metro Heights, and designed their own home. Students received awards for their home designs, were recognized by local city officials, and enjoyed a celebratory BBQ on the patio of the H2IE.

SoCalGas Scholarship Program

Investing in the next generation through education is one way SoCalGas is committed to creating a thriving community for us all. In 2023, SoCalGas awarded over $300,000 to 29 Central and Southern California students to pursue higher education at four-year universities, community colleges, and trade schools. Sixteen students attending four-year universities received $5,000 each and can renew their scholarship to receive $20,000 over four years of study. Thirteen students with plans to attend community colleges and trade schools received $1,000 each toward eligible programs. Another $75,000 was also renewed for 15 scholarship recipients starting in 2022. Since the program’s inception in 2001, SoCalGas has awarded over $3.5 million in scholarships to 2,326 students.

Workforce Development

SoCalGas invested $664,000 in 46 workforce development, training, and apprenticeship programs throughout our service territory. Our program support provided youth, women, veterans, and other underserved populations with customer service and technical skills training to prepare them for viable employment. Two key highlights include our partnerships with Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles (W.I.N.T.E.R.), where we provided weekly stipends to women completing construction apprenticeship training, and the Los Angeles Urban League (pictured right). Since 2021, we have hired 27 graduates from its Construction Career Academy.

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LOCAL CHAMBERS ORGANIZATIONS

Veterans In Business (VIB) Network

The VIB Network provides a veteran business directory, business resources, educational seminars, outreach opportunities, a Veteran-2-Veteran Business Cohort, a Corporate Mentor/Veteran Business Protégé program, scholarships, and more. In 2023, SoCalGas helped to fund no-cost educational webinars and training for all Veteran businesses on topics including Contracts 101, Networking Skills, Government and Utilities Contracting and more through the Entrepreneurial Development Growth and Education (EDGE) program. SoCalGas continues to be an advocate for veteran businesses and serves as a board member on the VIB’s corporate advisory board, providing guidance on programs and how to grow the organization.

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& BUSINESS

Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC) Education Fund and Foundation STEM Scholarship

Five STEM scholarships totaling $25,000 were distributed to African American students in Los Angeles through The GLAAACC Education Fund & Foundation, thanks to a grant by SoCalGas. Additionally, GLAAACC hosted a college prep course that provides youth from underserved backgrounds with academic support, financial assistance, and leadership training to become college graduates.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Enterprises

In 2022, our Supplier Diversity team set an internal goal to increase underutilized vendor categories with LGBT firms. In 2023, through our partnerships with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, we supported leadership training, advocacy, visibility, and business development through training, workshops, and networking mixers. Education helped increase employee retention, avoid the costs of hiring new staff, and create and encourage a culture of learning.

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EMPLOYEES IN ACTION

Stamp Out Hunger

SoCalGas CEO, Scott Drury joined 100 SoCalGas volunteers at a Stamp Out Hunger event in the City of Bell. In partnership with Labor Community Services, the SoCalGas team sorted 74,000 pounds of food and packed over 37 pallets. The donations were distributed to food banks across Los Angeles County to feed more than 2,800 families. In Southern California, Stamp Out Hunger is conducted through the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and various Labor Councils of the American Federation of Labor, Congress, and Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), including the Los Angeles County Federation, to help address food insecurity.

The Salvation Army – Bell Shelter

SoCalGas helped renovate The Salvation Army Bell Shelter’s women’s wing with new furniture, bed frames, mattresses, and decor. The Salvation Army Bell Shelter operates a comprehensive program that offers interim housing with supportive services for men and women experiencing homelessness. It is dedicated to restoring hope and dignity to those who need it most.

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Brotherhood Crusade

SoCalGas and Brotherhood Crusade distributed Thanksgiving meals, including 1,500 turkeys, to families in South Los Angeles during a Grab and Go! Basket Distribution event. MLB All-Star, Mookie Betts, and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and over 20 community volunteer groups and donors in distributed baskets and engaged with families. SoCalGas supported this annual program through a $50,000 donation as part of the Fueling Our Communities initiative.

Taste of Soul

SoCalGas participated as a proud premier sponsor of the 2023 Taste of Soul Family Festival- the largest free one-day outreach festival on the West Coast. With more than 350,000 attendees, Taste of Soul invites nonprofit small businesses and corporations to share valuable resources with the community. SoCalGas distributed customer assistance program information throughout the day, conducted meter demonstrations, and shared career opportunities.

Spark of Love

SoCalGas supported ABC7’s 31st annual Spark of Love holiday toy drive in Ontario, the largest of its kind in the nation. Employees donated numerous boxes of toys for underserved youth who may not otherwise receive one during the holiday season. In addition, SoCalGas made a $10,000 grant to support the program. The toys were sent to the Los Angeles City Fire Department, where they were sanitized and distributed throughout Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, and Riverside Counties.

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LEADING WITH

HOPE

CHAMPIONING ORGANIZATIONS THAT UPLIFT OUR COMMUNITIES

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TEXT FOR IMAGE
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Participants of HOPE’s Latina Action Day during legislative visits in Sacramento
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From left: HOPE Board Chair Vanessa Cajina (LHI ‘07), Former HOPE Board Member Yammilette Rodriguez (HLI ‘02), and Board Member Nicolina Hernandez (HLI ‘14) Helen Torres, Executive Director and CEO of HOPE at the 31st Annual Latina History Day Helen Torres, Executive Director and CEO of HOPE with the Leadership Initiative Class of 2019
You can look at the ripple effects everywhere because of the growth of the organization.

Every day, by way of advocacy, leadership and education, HOPE – Hispanas Organized for Political Equality – lives up to its namesake. The nonprofit has been lifting up Latinas all over California since 1989, and has empowered them to pursue positions of positive influence that have instilled hope across communities for the past 35 years. Helen Torres, the Executive Director and CEO, has had the opportunity to bear witness to the long-term impacts of this valuable work. She has seen firsthand how the organization’s successful programs –the HOPE Latina Empowerment Day Series, the professional summits and the Leadership Institute – have elevated Latinas to make meaningful changes locally, across the state and even at the national level.

The nonprofit was founded in 1989 by five women who noticed that Latinas were being overlooked in the political decisions made throughout Los Angeles County. They put together programming to honor the historic contributions of Latinas, including Latina History Day, which is still celebrated on the second Friday of Women’s History Month each year. Over the next 10 years, HOPE expanded and developed new initiatives. Eventually, the organization transitioned from having a regional focus to hosting programs all over the state. “You can look at the ripple effects everywhere because of the growth of the organization,” Torres said.

Roughly 3,000 women participate in HOPE’s overall programming. One of the core founding members of HOPE, Minnie Lopez Bafflo, was an employee at SoCalGas. Today, SoCalGas continues to support the nonprofit by sponsoring sessions during the HOPE Leadership Institute, hosting an empowerment day, providing volunteers and by donating their time, resources and guidance. “SoCalGas is an active and impactful partner in our work,” said Torres.

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In 1999, the nonprofit started the HOPE Leadership Institute. According to Torres, that program is really the crown jewel of the organization. “25-50 women go through the Leadership Institute every year, and by the end of 2024 we anticipate having close to more than 750 HOPE Leadership Institute Alumnae throughout the state” Torres explained. “84% of HOPE Leadership Institute alumnae have held nonprofit board and statewide commission positions over the past 26 years. 70 HLI alumnae have been or are currently elected officials.” HOPE is now recognized as a national organization and has expanded to support Latinas in high school, college and even those who hold high-level government positions.

The impacts of HOPE’s initiatives are uniquely tangible. “We’re able to track the women who went through the Leadership Institute,”

Torres said. “We have some incredible examples. They’re in office. They’re using their platforms to get legislation passed to support communities. They’re lifting up the voices of those who are underrepresented.” Torres even remembered meeting a young woman who had gone through HOPE’s programs and now works for the President of the United States.

The positive impacts at the regional and national levels are mirrored by those on the local level. Lucia Diaz, Executive Director of the Mar Vista Family Center in Culver City, California, attended the HOPE Leadership Institute back in 2003. “Lucia is a great example of a non-elected official doing amazing work in the nonprofit sector,” Torres said. The skills Diaz learned during her time with HOPE have helped the Mar Vista Family Center reach its 45th year of service in the community.

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Former Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez and members of the CA Latino Legislative Caucus celebrate 30 years of HOPE U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (then Secretary of State) and Helen Torres, Executive Director and CEO of HOPE, promoting HOPE GOTV pledge card California State Senator Monique LimÓn, 2019 HOPE Binational Fellow
They’re lifting up the voices of those who are underrepresented.
Lucia Diaz, Executive Director of the Mar Vista Family Center

The Mar Vista Family Center was founded in 1977 as a resource for low-income families. The goal of the organization was to encourage parents and educators to work together, so parents could play an active role in the development of their children. “It’s called a shared responsibility model,” Diaz explained. “Community members learn how to take responsibility for their lives, the community and their families.” At the beginning, the center supported six families and was entirely funded by the government. As time went on, that funding dissipated. Even without steady support, the community’s needs continued to grow, and Diaz knew that she needed to secure sustainable funding so they could continue their indispensable work.

Through the HOPE Leadership Institute, Diaz not only gained valuable leadership skills, but also met a fellow organization continually looking to further their positive impact in the community. That organization was SoCalGas, who in turn began to fund the Mar Vista Family Center for long-term success. Incredibly, the Mar Vista Family Center now supports about 300 local families annually.

Supported by her renewed funding, Diaz has utilized the tools she learned with HOPE to amplify the work she’s doing at the family center. “We do training at Mar Vista that helps everyone with personal and professional development,” Diaz explained. “I brought a lot of that work from my training with the HOPE organization, and after 45 years, there’s been a great transformation in the community,” Diaz said.

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Today, Mar Vista hosts their original preschool program where parents and educators work in tandem, after school programs, college prep programs, a food pantry and community gardens. These initiatives provide the young people in the community with opportunities for education, upward mobility and prolonged success. That’s a seismic shift for this neighborhood, which looked very different when the family center opened its

doors. “Parents didn’t believe their kids could graduate from high school, but now we have a 98% graduation rate,” Diaz explained. Young people have even approached Diaz to express how the organization has changed their lives. “I remember one of the kids coming and saying, ‘I have a choice now. I used to only have the chance to join a gang and now I have a chance to be a part of something,’” she recalled.

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SoCalGas has really opened that door, valued our voices and invested in Latina leaders.

SoCalGas has fortified the family center with financial support, educational programs and tangible resources for the families that Diaz works with. Now that the organization relies partially on corporate funding, the financial contributions from SoCalGas are invaluable. However, the connection between Mar Vista and SoCalGas runs so much deeper than that. “They make me feel like I count,” Diaz said. “I always know I can call them if I need support or information.”

According to Helen Torres at HOPE, SoCalGas has been a fantastic ally in expanding their reach. In addition to all the other support they provide, they play a key role during the Latina Empowerment Day Series by facilitating energy training sessions. These mini-training days provide the women with an opportunity to learn about the intersection between government and natural resources. HOPE started these sessions after they realized that Latina representation on natural resource boards in California was severely lacking. Now, SoCalGas and HOPE work together to teach Latinas about water, air, soil, energy and the

environment. “SoCalGas has always looked out for the organization,” Torres explained. “They’ve helped us not only to grow, but also to dig deep into key issues that Latinas aren’t always invited to be a part of. SoCalGas has really opened that door, valued our voices and invested in Latina leaders.”

Both Diaz and Torres are able to call on SoCalGas for volunteers, resources and even if they just simply need a friend. “It’s not easy to have that with every funder,” Diaz explained. “Not everyone will understand the work that you’re doing. Not everyone will just support you. But with SoCalGas, we don’t have that challenge.” The relationship between HOPE, the Mar Vista Family Center and SoCalGas continues to touch thousands of lives across California. SoCalGas has provided these two organizations with a structural support system that they can lean on so the people they serve can continue leaning on them. And in challenging times, it’s that foundational support that can create the strongest ripple effects for California’s communities.

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HOPE founders, board members and program alumnae at HOPE’s 30th Anniversary Celebration HOPE board members at HOPE’s 30th Anniversary Celebration
28 SOCALGAS SOCALGAS.COM SERVING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SINCE 1867 SOCALGAS IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER EMAIL: COMMUNITYRELATIONS@SEMPRAUTILITIES.COM

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