Golden State Water and California American Water Team up with State Assemblymember Ken Cooley for “Operation Gobble”

250 Thanksgiving Turkeys to be Delivered to Local Non-profits

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California American Water:

What:	Operation Gobble
When:	1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014
Where:	Assembly Member Ken Cooley District Office
	2729 Prospect Park Drive, Suite 130
	Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Contact:	Evan Jacobs for California American Water at [phone]
	Paul Schubert of Golden State Water Company at [phone]
	Assembly Member Cooley District Office at [phone]

California State Assembly Member Ken Cooley and two water companies serving his district – Golden State Water Company (Golden State Water) and California American Water – will provide 250 turkeys with a combined weight of over two tons to local non-profits as part of the 24th annual “Operation Gobble” program. The turkeys will be distributed at his district office on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014.

“Operation Gobble” is a joint charitable venture between California water companies and local state legislators and is set to deliver thousands of turkeys to underprivileged families throughout the state this Thanksgiving holiday. The unique program, which started in 1990, pairs the local knowledge of state legislators with the resources of the private sector to benefit those in need.

During the program, participating investor-owned water companies like California American Water and Golden State Water provide turkeys and transportation in partnership with local elected officials who offer local expertise in directing the donations to community food banks, churches and other non-profit organizations.

“The dedicated local employees of California American Water and Golden State Water work hard to provide a high quality and reliable water supply to thousands of homes and businesses in the greater Sacramento region,” said Paul Schubert, district manager for Golden State Water. “This program is an opportunity for us to give back to our customers, our neighbors and our families.”

Millions of Californians lack sufficient resources to feed themselves on a regular basis. Many of these residents are low income families that will not be able to afford a Thanksgiving meal.

Thanks to the efforts of California American Water, Assembly Member Cooley and our non-profit partners, many Sacramento families will now have a Thanksgiving meal this holiday season.

California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people.

Founded in 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.

Golden State Water Company (Golden State Water) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American States Water Company (NYSE:AWR). Golden State Water provides water service to approximately 257,000 customers throughout 10 counties in Northern, Coastal and Southern California, and distributes electricity to approximately 24,000 customers in the Big Bear recreational area of California through its Bear Valley Electric Service division. American States Water Company also owns a contracted services subsidiary, American States Utility Services, Inc. (ASUS). ASUS provides operations, maintenance and construction management services for water and wastewater systems located on military bases throughout the country under 50 year privatization contracts.