PSE and PSE Foundation donate nearly $400,000 for Warmer Winters

As cold weather continues setting in across the Pacific Northwest, PSE and the PSE Foundation (PSEF) set out to make winter feel a little warmer, more joyful and help keep food pantry shelves fuller. Through PSE’s 2024 Warm Winter campaign and PSEF’s Stock the Pantry program, we made 144 donations to support local nonprofit organizations and Washington State Tribes across 14 counties for a total of nearly $400,000.

In Kitsap County, we donated a total of $41,250 to the following community partners: 

• Bainbridge Island Community Senior Center
• Bremerton Foodline
• Central Kitsap Food Bank
• DocluvtheKids
• Helpline House
• North Kitsap Fishline
• Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center
• Port Gamble S’Klallam
• Salvation Army of Bremerton
• South Kitsap Helpline
• Suquamish Foundation

These funds support elements that provide warmth through the winter: food, prepared meals, winter gear and holiday joy. Of the total funds donated, $155,000 went to local food pantries for fresh produce, protein, shelf stable food or spices to stock their shelves. Then $114,000 to support warm, prepared and/or delivered meals serving individuals who do not have access or ability to use cooking facilities. Another $75,000 was provided for the purchase of warm clothing and other critical winter necessities such as jackets, hats, mittens, boots, socks, hand warmers or specialized protective helmets for individuals with physical impairment. Finally, just over $50,000 was distributed to help organizations purchase diapers, toys and other holiday cheer items for families experiencing hardship during the holiday season.

In addition to community donations, PSE also has opportunities to help create warmer winters at home. Customers can participate in different home weatherization offerings or may qualify for rebates that help reduce energy bills and make their homes more comfortable. Weatherization prevents the loss of warm (or cool) air through unseen leaks and seams and can be an easy way to save money and energy.

PSE also helps keep customer homes warm through bill pay assistance programs, including a bill discount rate that can help qualified customers save between 5% and 45% a month on their bill. Customers can visit PSE bill assistance to learn more and see how they may qualify for support.

Note: The PSE Foundation, an independent nonprofit entity and the charitable giving programs from PSE, do not, nor will ever come from PSE customer rates or programs and are funded separately.