PG&E donates $5,000 to support RISE, survivors of abuse

March 13, 2014


SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.— RISE Board Member and mechanical maintenance coordinator at Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Mary Myers, recently received one of PG&E's highest honors, the Frederick W. Mielke, Jr. Award for Outstanding Community Service.

 

Myers was awarded this accolade by a vote of her peers for her work in raising money for RISE's 11th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event last April as well as her continued involvement in the organization and dedication to serving on the non-profit's board of directors.

 

As her prize, PG&E donated $5,000 in Myers' name to RISE which will go towards providing shelter for families of intimate partner violence, sustain a 24/7 crisis line, provide legal support, accompaniment, advocacy, and counseling services. RISE also provides self-defense workshops and prevention education programs for high school students, businesses and community organizations.

 

Each year, RISE has hosted a Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event in April which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It brings the community together to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence.

 

Myers organized the most donations for that event, making the 11th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® the most successful in event history. Myers had asked Diablo Canyon employees for their help in raising money. Co-workers helped raise $4,200 for the annual event.

 

As a winner of the Mielke Award, Myers has also been selected to represent PG&E at the Jefferson Awards Public Service Gala in Washington, DC next June. The Jefferson Awards were established nearly four decades ago to recognize community and public service in America.

 

"Without my co-workers' generosity and their help, I would not have won the Mielke Award. A chance to represent PG&E, Diablo Canyon and my non-profit, RISE, in Washington, DC is a huge honor," said Myers. "It is an opportunity to raise public awareness of sexual assault and intimate partner violence at a national level and be a voice for other survivors. And to think it all started out as a little fundraiser last April called Walk a Mile."

 

This year RISE will host a Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event on April 12th in Paso Robles and on April 26th in San Luis Obispo.

About RISE

RISE was formerly the Sexual Assault Recovery & Prevention Center and North County Women's Shelter & Resource Center. RISE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to transform the lives of sexual and intimate partner violence survivors, their families and the community through services and education that promote safety, healing and empowerment. RISE provides the following programs: 24-hour crisis line, case management, restraining order assistance, accompaniment and advocacy, two safe houses, individual and group counseling, prevention education and self-defense workshops.