Giving addresses community issues around affordable housing, education, small businesses, sustainability
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wells Fargo today announced the company donated more than $13 million
through 875 grants to local nonprofits, schools and community
organizations in 2018 to help the communities and people of Texas.
Wells Fargo’s philanthropic contributions build on a long history of
collaboration with local nonprofits and community leaders to make a
positive impact by addressing urgent community issues such as affordable
housing, education, small business growth and sustainability.
When combined with the almost $4.2 million donated by Texas team members
during the company’s internal Community Support Campaign, nonprofits in
the state received more than $17.5 million from Wells Fargo and its team
members in 2018. That amounts to an average daily donation of more than
$47,000 in Texas.
“Across our community, many residents are working hard to make ends
meet,” said David Miree, Wells Fargo lead region bank president for
Texas. “Here in Texas, we want to help people find a stable place to
live, help small business owners expand, and help young people gain a
quality education that prepares them for the workforce. We are
determined to help people and communities, especially in underserved
areas, succeed financially. We will continue to provide philanthropy,
volunteers, expertise and other resources to revitalize and strengthen
local neighborhoods.”
Beyond philanthropy, Wells Fargo team members in Texas volunteered more
than 154,000 hours in 2018 to support 9,564 nonprofits and causes
important to them, including Habitat for Humanity and Junior Achievement
across the state. According to the Independent Sector, these volunteer
hours are the equivalent of $3,802,951.
“Part of what makes Wells Fargo unique is the generosity of our team
members who help multiply our community impact,” continued Miree.
“Sometimes giving time is even more valuable than money, because it puts
our desire to build a strong community into action and gives us a
tangible way to personally make a difference.”
United Way Worldwide recently recognized Wells Fargo for having the No.
1 workplace giving campaign in the U.S. for the tenth consecutive year.
Making an impact in Texas
Wells Fargo’s philanthropic contributions addressed various community
needs, including:
-
Affordable housing. To help increase affordable, stable housing
and homeownership in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, Wells
Fargo collaborated with grantees such as City Wide Community
Development Corporation, Avenue, Community Development Corporation of
Brownsville, Rebuilding Together, San Antonio Homeownership
Opportunities Corporation and multiple Habitat for Humanity affiliates.
-
Small business growth. Small businesses are critical to job
creation and a vibrant community. Many diverse-owned small businesses,
especially those in rural and low- to moderate-income communities,
face unique challenges and often lack access to the full spectrum of
resources necessary for growth and success. The company supported
nonprofits serving small businesses, including BCL of Texas,
PeopleFund, Liftfund Inc, Houston Area Urban League and Project Vida,
to provide access to capital and training for entrepreneurs in rural
and urban markets.
-
Financial education. Wells Fargo supported grants for local
financial education programs, including contributions to Local
Initiatives Support Corporation, Junior Achievement, South Texas
Literacy Coalition, Interfaith Family Services, AVANCE, Family
Pathfinders of Tarrant County, Wilkinson Center and Women’s Resource
of Greater Houston.
-
Workforce development. The company supported the work of
nonprofits to help communities expand youth career/job readiness
programs, post-secondary education opportunities and adult employment
initiatives with grants to Year Up-Dallas, Project ARRIBA, Houston
Community College Foundation, Career and Recovery Resources, Ladder
Alliance, Café Momentum, Houston Center for Literacy and project
HandUp.
About Wells Fargo
Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo &
Company (NYSE:WFC) provides banking, investment and mortgage products
and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,800
locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com).
Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy customers’ financial needs and help
them succeed financially. With approximately 259,000 team members, Wells
Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo &
Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2018 rankings of America’s
largest corporations. In 2018, Wells Fargo donated more than $440
million to nearly 11,000 nonprofits in support of affordable housing,
small business growth, financial education, and sustainability, among
other community needs. For 10 consecutive years, Wells Fargo has held
the honor of No. 1 in workplace giving by United Way Worldwide. Wells
Fargo team members also make a difference by donating more than 2
million hours of volunteer time in the last year. News, insights and
more information on the company’s corporate responsibility are available
at Wells
Fargo Stories.