Hundreds of Puget Sound Energy (PSE) electric customers helped make a significant contribution in feeding local families this past holiday season. At the same time, those customers also saved money every month on their PSE bill.

Between Oct. 17 and Dec. 15, 2014, 345 customers chose to turn their old working fridge or freezer into meals. With a total of 365 units of old appliances recycled for free, customers opted to donate their $25 rebate to Food Lifeline. As part of the campaign, PSE matched each donation for a total contribution of $50.

In the end, $18,250 was raised for Food Lifeline — enough to provide 73,000 meals and feed 365 families of four for two weeks.

By recycling these old fridges and freezers, we helped the community save up to $73,000 in energy costs a year and collected 44,348 pounds of glass, metal and plastic for reuse.

“We would like to thank our customers who recycled their old appliances and donated their rebate to Food Lifeline,” said Jason Teller, PSE’s vice president of customer solutions. “Their generosity helped feed many local families over the holidays. Plus, these customers will save up to $200 a year on their own energy bill.”

“Thanks to the hundreds of PSE customers that joined us in the fight against hunger,” said Linda Nageotte, president and CEO of Food Lifeline. “By donating their rebate and with the PSE match, they helped us fill the refrigerators for thousands of our hungry neighbors.”

On Jan. 14, the Puget Sound Energy Foundation will be presenting a $15,000 check to Food Lifeline as the recipient of the Emergency Relief Program and Emergency Preparedness grant. The foundation is a nonprofit entity that operates independently of PSE. None of the foundation’s funds come from PSE’s utility customers.