LOS ANGELES, July 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) President and COO Dennis Arriola was honored recently by Plaza Community Services (PCS),  an organization that serves Latino children, youth and families in the greater East Los Angeles area. Also honored at the "Sharing in Future Prosperity" event were Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, and Sylvia Campoy, a community leader in Tucson, Az., active in education and civil rights.

The mission of PCS is to support children, youth and families with child development, family, mental health and drug and alcohol treatment services. Additionally, PCS has an innovative program called "Fathers in the Classrooms-Just Stop by" that helps fathers become more involved in their children's education.

SoCalGas has supported PCS for several years and Andy Carrasco, supplier diversity manager with SoCalGas, has served on its board since 2009.

"It's truly an honor to be recognized by Plaza Community Services and I'd like to also congratulate my fellow honorees, Commissioner Peevey and Sylvia Compoy," Arriola said.  "Plaza Community Services' mission of supporting families, developing networks within the community and cultivating educational opportunities are important values to champion. While these services are imperative to meeting basic needs, organizations like Plaza Community Services also send an important message to the members of the community. Through its work, Plaza Community Services tells the individuals it serves, 'We believe in you. You can change your current situation. You can be successful.'"

Often, it just takes the support of one person to change the course of a life," said Arriola. "I have been very fortunate in my life to have many who believed in me and encouraged me to work hard. Without these people, I'm not sure where I would have ended up."

Arriola encourages the local community to develop and support the next generation of business executives, political leaders, entrepreneurs and community advocates by believing in the bright and prosperous future that we know is within reach.

About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years.  It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 20.9 million consumers connected through nearly 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities.  The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.  SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).

About Plaza Community Services
PCS was initiated by Rev. Dr. Vernon McCombs and Miss Katherine Higgins, and incorporated as a non-profit agency in 1916. In 1932, a training school was opened as part of Plaza's educational program to provide leadership to Mexican-American adults.  Since its inception, PCS greatly expanded its services with the following programs: Family Preservation, L.A. Bridges, Domestic Violence, Perinatal (Esperanza), Healthy Families, Plaza Youth Advantage, Safety Seat Voucher, Teen Smart and CalWORKS. Presently, the primary targeted population is Latino children, youth, and families of low-income status. Plaza provides services to the East Los Angeles and surrounding communities. To learn more, go to www.plazacs.org

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.