DONOR PROFILE: SEMPRA ENERGY: Making a Difference in Baja California

As a Fortune 500 company providing energy services and solutions to customers throughout the United States and abroad, Sempra Energy is a committed corporate international philanthropist. Much of Sempra’s philanthropic efforts overseas have been focused in Mexico where it has been actively doing business for the past 15 years.

Through the Sempra Energy International Community Investment Fund at ICF, Sempra’s charitable giving has been focused on making a difference in communities throughout Baja California. Here some of the company’s recent efforts have included support for charitable causes in the areas of children & youth; conservation; and public safety.

Sempra Energy recently provided funding for new fire hoses and nozzles for firefighters in Ensenada. The firefighters serve a city of 300,000 with six fire trucks, each over 30 years old.

"Firefighters are universally recognized as heroes. Sempra Energy is proud to partner with El Patronato Pro-Heroico Cuerpo de Bomberos de Ensenada, A. C. in support of the firefighters of the municipality," mentioned a spokesperson for Sempra Energy.

In support of conservation, Sempra Energy recently provided grantmaking for educational and interpretive exhibits for the planned visitor’s center in the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park in Baja California. The exhibit is being developed by ICF grantee Pronatura Noroeste-Mar de Cortés, A.C. and will include information on the geography and topography of the park, the flora and fauna, as well as the impact of humankind throughout the ages.

To promote local philanthropy in Baja California, Sempra provided critical funding to ICF early in 2002 for the foundation’s forthcoming needs assessment of Baja California that was undertaken in conjunction with the Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad (FIC).

Sempra has also played a key role in support of Tijuana’s efforts to build the first public library for the city with the construction of the Loyola Library at the Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA).

Beyond these philanthropic initiatives, Sempra Energy has been instrumental in supporting the following other Baja California NGOs during 2002: Centro de Artes Escénicas del Noroeste, A.C.; Colegio de la Frontera Norte, A.C.; Fundación Villa Esperanza, A.C. and Museo Sol del Niño, A.C.-Mexicali. No doubt, through its leadership in cross-border corporate philanthropy Sempra is making a difference across the state of Baja California.

ICF Donor Sempra Energy with grantee, Patronato Pro Heroico Cuerpo de Bomberos de Ensenada, A.C.
Left to right: Carlos Loyola Peterson; Sempa Energy Mexico; Arq. Ernesto Araiza Ochoa, Director de Bomberos y Proteccion Civil; Mark Nelson, Sempra Energy; Beni Novello, Jr. Patronato Pro Heoico Cuerpo de Bomberos de Ensenada, A.C.; Cathy Lavin, Sempra Energy.