DAVIS, Calif. (August 11, 2020) — Valley Clean Energy (VCE), the local electricity provider for Yolo County and the cities of Woodland and Davis, is doing its part to keep local residents safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
VCE purchased 500 high-quality, washable and U.S.-made face masks and donated them to RISE Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves the Latinx community and has organized the delivery of social services to western Yolo County for more than 30 years.
Woodland City Councilman Angel Barajas, a member of the VCE board of directors, said RISE was chosen to receive the gift because it “does an incredible job servicing residents in the rural Yolo County region.”
“RISE Inc. has strong ties and relationships with students and parents through its after-school and day care programs, including working with members of the agricultural community,” Barajas added.
RISE Inc. is a “one-stop shop” for social services in western Yolo County, providing services to preschoolers through senior citizens. Among its programs are emergency food and clothing, resource and referral services, summer recreation activities and mental health services.
Its offices in Esparto, Winters and Woodland have remained open throughout these months of sheltering in place, providing vital distribution of food, especially fresh produce, and clothing to rural residents.
The donation of washable face masks is part of VCE’s commitment to acting on issues of social justice, Barajas said, adding, “We must continue to find ways to limit the spread of COVID-19, especially in our most vulnerable populations.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear face masks in public settings and when around people who do not live in their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others, the CDC says.
Valley Clean Energy is Yolo County’s community choice aggregator (CCA), dedicated to providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity to its 54,000 customers in the cities of Woodland and Davis as well as the unincorporated area of the county.
The city of Winters is VCE’s newest member, set to start service early next year.
For more information about VCE, visit valleycleanenergy.org or call 855-699-8232.