SoCalGas partnered with the American Red Cross and assembled 500 hygiene kits for National Preparedness month and National Day of Service Friday in Pico Rivera. The kits are filled with necessities including socks, shampoo, toothbrushes, soap, and more.
“I am a veteran of the United States Army, so this is near and dear to my heart, plenty of people that I serve with have struggled with PTSD and homelessness,” said Tony Duran SoCalGas employee and Chairman of the Veterans Committee Local 132.
Duran continued, “A pair of socks to a normal civilian is meaningless, but to a veteran it can definitely mean a lot.”
The American Red Cross will deliver the ready-to-go kits to local VA hospitals and the homeless veteran’s community.
“Los Angeles County has a large military community of more than a million people, which includes active-duty service members, veterans and their families,” said Franco Manzano Service to the Armed Forces Program Specialist for the American Red Cross.
Manzano added, “They are our loved ones and our neighbors. Of that million, more than 11% face mental health issues and housing insecurity. We strive to address this by working with the VA to provide hygiene kits to help veterans on the road to housing relief.”
SoCalGas is a proud supporter of our U.S. military and veteran community. Veterans represent about 5% of our workforce. We provide resources and career guidance when they return to work after active duty.
Duran said, “SoCalGas has partnered with Utility Workers Union of America Local 132 to set up a training program that is ran by veterans for veterans that is completely self-contained, including recruitment, background check and so forth for employment here at SoCalGas.”
Four SoCalGas employees sit on the Board of the American Red Cross. In the last five years we’ve given nearly $1.4 million to the nonprofit which includes in-kind donations, grants, scholarships, volunteer-matching dollars, and disaster relief.
In addition, SoCalGas has partnered with the American Red Cross for blood drives, emergency preparedness and safety events, COVID-19 response, and disaster relief efforts.
