Senator Tom Umberg Honors Power of One Foundation as 2020 Nonprofit of the Year

SACRAMENTO – Today, Senator Tom Umberg (D-Orange County), and the California State Senate, announced that the Power of One Foundation, and Executive Director Andre Roberson, have been honored as the 34th Senate District 2020 Nonprofit of the Year Award. Since they began in 2019, the Power of One Foundation has worked tirelessly to help feed 1.7 million individuals, and they continue to expand their operation to help more people in the state of California.

For the last five years, legislators from across California have chosen a Nonprofit of the Year in their district. Traditionally, the Senate and Assembly invite legislators and honorees to a celebratory luncheon on California Nonprofits Day. This year, the June luncheon was canceled in response to the state’s Shelter-in-Place orders, but legislators have nonetheless moved forward with honoring nonprofits doing great work in their districts.

“The pandemic has made the work that nonprofits do for our community especially important. The services and resources provided by the Power of One Foundation and other nonprofit organizations are awe-inspiring,” said Senator Tom Umberg (D - Santa Ana). “Through collaboration, the Power of One continues to fight against food disparity in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Through their efforts, we honor one another in service, uplift our neighbors in need, and enrich our entire community. Due to the efforts of this foundation, thousands of individuals, families, and children in need have continued to thrive.”

“It is with great humility that we accept this prestigious award on behalf of POOF’s volunteers, sponsors, and corporate partners. We are so grateful to Senator Umberg for honoring us and bringing light to efforts”, states Andre Roberson, Power of One’s Executive Director.

According to Causes Count, a 2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, the nonprofit sector is the fourth largest industry in the state, employing more than 1.2 million people. Each year, California nonprofits generate more than $273 billion in revenue and bring in $40 billion in revenue from outside of California.

 “The pandemic and shelter-in-place orders of the last few months have put nonprofits – usually hidden in plain sight – in the spotlight,” explains Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits). “California Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity for our elected officials to celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts, and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities.”

The Power of One Foundation focuses on fighting hunger and poverty by providing food assistance and other needed resources to underserved communities across Orange County, California and beyond. The organization’s purpose is to empower residents to become leaders in their communities. The mission of the Power of One Foundation is to provide basic human resources to every person in need of them, regardless of their country of origin, race, gender, or socioeconomic status. The need for food assistance continues to be great and they work to meet it. Power of One Foundation (POOF) has provided for approximately 1.7 million individuals in the Orange County area, through the Emergency Food Assistance (EFA) Program under POOF’s COVID-19 Crisis Relief Initiative.

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Senator Thomas Umberg represents the 34th Senate District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Los Alamitos,
Midway City, Orange, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, and Westminster. Umberg is a retired
U.S. Army Colonel and former federal prosecutor. He and his wife, Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.

Senator Umberg’s official headshot is available here.