Regional restaurants receive grant money

Several locally owned restaurants in the region have been awarded grants from the California Restaurant Foundation and the PG&E Corporation Foundation. The grants will help the restaurants invest in equipment upgrades, workforce training and more, with the goal of helping to keep them in business and thrive. The PG&E Foundation's $1.1 million charitable contribution is funding $5,000 grants to 188 hometown restaurants in 29 counties in Pacific Gas and Electric Company's service area. The contribution also provides operating support for CRF, which administers the grant program. The statement notes the funding comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers. Area grant recipients are: * 36 Handles Public House, El Dorado Hills* Don Quixote's Mexican Grill, Rocklin* Garden of Eat'n, Auburn* Omakase Por Favor, Lincoln* Rubinos Ristorante, Rocklin* Coffee Republic, Folsom* Pocket Deli, Rancho Cordova The PG&E Foundation's contribution to CRF's Restaurants Care Resilience Fund will help grantees pay for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and training to help restaurant owners invest in their business and people, according to a statement. Grants were made available to California resident restaurant owners with fewer than five locations and less than $3 million in revenue, and prioritized minority- and women-owned businesses. Since 2021, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed $4.3 million to the CRF's Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, providing grants ranging from $3,000 to $5,000. In total, PG&E has funded grants to 675 restaurants and caterers in Northern and Central California. "Receiving the grant is a great honor and feels like recognition of our efforts at Whitey's Jolly Kone to continue to grow and serve our community," said Jennifer Havson, co-owner of Whitey's Jolly Kone, who received an earlier grant. "As third-generation owner-operators, we aim to revitalize the foundation that our grandfather and parents established for us, by expanding and upgrading a family friendly space to meet the needs of the current and ever-growing community throughout Sacramento."