The Puget Sound Energy Foundation and Puget Sound Energy have teamed up to donate more than a million dollars to organizations and food banks during a time that has been challenging for PSE’s customers and communities as everyone deals with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a PSE news release.

The PSE Foundation is a nonprofit entity operating independently of PSE but helps the communities PSE services, will donate a total of $770,000:

* $100,000 to the Seattle Foundation and the COVID-19 Response Fund

* $130,000 distributed to regional food banks throughout our service area to help offset their operational costs

* $20,000 for local hospitals to help purchase personal protective equipment ($10,000 already sent to Evergreen Health Foundation)

* $270,000 to county’s established community-wide rapid response funds that will help communities during this pandemic. Local United Ways and community foundations in Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom, Skagit, Lewis, Island, Kittitas and Kitsap counties will receive funds to provide support for those in need

* $200,000 to the Washington Food Fund where three Washington-based organizations working on the front lines of food insecurity will use the funds from numerous donors to distribute food to hundreds of food banks across the state from our cities to our most rural communities

* Will match up to $50,000 for PSE employees contributing donations toward pandemic relief

PSE has donated $275,000 in advertising space for Public Health—Seattle & King County messages.

“We know this is a great time of need for the communities we serve and the organizations that support them,” said PSE Foundation Chairman and President Andy Wappler. “We are living our value to do what’s right and helping how we can.”