From One Neighbor's Garage to a Town-Backed Program
PGnE started small — and grew because neighbors needed it.
As Seen In
Local and Bay Area coverage of the FREE loaner generator program.
CBS News coverage of neighbors receiving FREE loaner generators during a Bay Area power outage.
Watch →
Print coverage of the program's early days lending generators to neighbors in need.
Read the article →PGnE (Portable Generator in Emergency) began with a Los Gatos resident and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteer, who started lending out personal portable generators to neighbors for FREE in the community during PG&E power outages. What began as Nextdoor posts in Jan. 2023 offering several free generator loaners turned into a neighborhood-wide effort, drawing coverage from local and Bay Area news.
In 2024, the effort was formalized as an official nonprofit community program, and was awarded a Community Grant from the Town of Los Gatos to grow the generator fleet, fund free safety workshops, and train volunteers to stage generators across the area for faster access during outages.
Since then, PGnE has grown its loaner fleet, run hands-on generator safety workshops, advised the Town's emergency response teams on equipment choices, and kept neighbors powered up — one outage at a time.
In February 2026, the program reached beyond the Bay Area for the first time, sending generators to West Point — a rural community in the Sierra foothills left without power for several days after a severe winter storm.
Disclosure: PGnE has no affiliation with the PG&E utility company.
What Neighbors Are Saying
“You are a blessing to your neighbors. Thank you so very much!”
“This is such an important resource for the community!”
“I love our community — we are so blessed!”
“Pretty darn awesome if you ask me! Thanks for your community support!”
Quotes shared from public neighborhood posts about the program.
The Program, By the Numbers
Help your family, or your community, through the next outage
Proudly supported in part by a Community Grant from the Town of Los Gatos.
Operated as a registered nonprofit community initiative. Not affiliated with the PG&E utility company.