May 7, 2021 3:30 a.m.

The PacificCorp Foundation, a nonprofit arm of Pacific Power, has announced that it is donating more than $525,000 across the six states it serves.

The release said even as COVID-19 vaccines roll out across the country, many communities are still facing challenges from the pandemic and the organizations that support them are still seeing unprecedented demand. For organizations that are also supporting the rebuilding efforts in areas affected by last year’s Labor Day Storm, the demand is greater, according to the release.

Grants going to Umpqua Valley organizations providing critical safety and wellness programs include:

*Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for the construction of a rescue building in the Umpqua National Forest near Diamond Lake to serve as an incident and command post during search and rescue missions and other emergency situations in this remote area.

*Salvation Army in Roseburg for assisting with COVID-19 relief for vulnerable families and individuals, including rent payments, car insurance, cellphone payments, food and other essential services.

Sam Carter, Pacific Power regional business manager for the Umpqua Valley said, “We celebrate these heroic organizations that have continued to reinvent and reimagine ways they can help our communities’ most vulnerable”. Carter said the utility remains deeply committed to supporting the work of those organizations.

The release said the funding goes to support 209 safety and wellness grants as part of the most recent round of quarterly grants provided by the foundation each year. The next grant cycle is open through June 15th. Organizations can apply online: https://www.pacificpower.net/community/foundation.html