SAN DIEGO, Nov. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) today announced that the company is launching an annual charitable-contribution program for Veterans Day to benefit support organizations for veterans and their families, with the inaugural grant of $20,000 going to the Gary Sinise Foundation.

The Gary Sinise Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to assisting service members, first responders, veterans and their families.

This year's grant will support the Gary Sinise Foundation's R.I.S.E. program, which provides wounded veterans and their families the resources they need to increase their mobility and overcome new life challenges. This includes home modifications, adapted vehicles, mobility devices or constructing specially adapted smart homes. 

"We're proud to initiate this annual grant program to assist U.S. veterans who have sacrificed to protect our great nation's freedom and our way of life," said Jeffrey W. Martin, CEO of Sempra Energy. "I am honored that Sempra Energy employs nearly 1,000 veterans across our family of companies, who bring value to the communities we serve every day."

"We are thankful for supporters like Sempra Energy for their generous contribution to help change the lives for those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom," said Judith Otter, chief operating officer of the Gary Sinise Foundation. "With our R.I.S.E. program, we currently have 70 homes completed or underway. These 100-percent mortgage-free, specially adapted homes restore independence for our severely wounded heroes and ease daily life for them and their loved ones."

Sempra Energy is committed to supporting veteran employees, as well as veterans who live in the communities where the company operates. Sempra Energy regularly participates in job-recruitment events for veterans and the company has supplier-diversity programs that advocate for procurement opportunities for businesses owned by service-disabled veterans, women, minorities and LGBT-owned business enterprises.

Sempra Energy owns and operates natural gas and electric distribution utilities and is a major developer of North American energy infrastructure.

Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based energy services holding company with 2017 revenues of more than $11 billion, is the utility holding company with the largest U.S. customer base. The Sempra Energy companies' approximately 20,000 employees serve more than 40 million consumers worldwide.

Sempra South American Utilities, Sempra North American Infrastructure, Sempra LNG & Midstream, Sempra Renewables, Sempra Mexico, Sempra Texas Utility, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.B. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and Sempra South American Utilities, Sempra North American Infrastructure, Sempra LNG & Midstream, Sempra Renewables, Sempra Mexico, Sempra Texas Utility, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.

SOURCE Sempra Energy