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Wells Fargo Launches Third Annual Food Bank Program to Fight Hunger During the Holidays

11/08/2019
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Company will donate up to $5 million to Feeding America, collect non-perishable food at all branch locations, accept donations by text and ATM

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced its third annual Holiday Food Bank program to help provide food to people and families in need during the holiday season.

Wells Fargo launched the program with a donation of up to $5 million to Feeding America® through direct donations and charitable matching. Feeding America is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the U.S. with 200 member food banks across the U.S. The organization estimates that, with every $1 contribution providing at least 10 meals, Wells Fargo will help provide more than 50 million meals for people in need. According to Hunger in America 2014, 1 in 7 Americans turn to the Feeding America network of food banks for help. Leveraging its size and scale, Wells Fargo also will collect non-perishable food at its 5,300 bank branch locations and distribute it to local food banks across the U.S.

Wells Fargo will raise awareness of its Holiday Food Bank through a national integrated marketing campaign with content on television, print, online and social, and the new Wells Fargo holiday commercial, which can be viewed on the company’s YouTube channel. A major element of this year’s program includes a media integration with the “2019 American Music Awards,” spotlighting the need to support hunger-related causes with millions of viewers who tune in to this annual awards show.

“The holidays should be a time of joy, yet the stress of stretching a paycheck to cover additional expenses can feel overwhelming,” said Brandee McHale, president of the Wells Fargo Foundation. “Many Americans are struggling with the cost burden of housing, which often contributes to making tradeoffs, such as not having enough food. Wells Fargo’s Holiday Food Bank program is meant to show the power of community spirit, in which we look out for our neighbors by bringing team members, customers and partners like Feeding America together to stock the shelves of community food banks all around the U.S.”

Wells Fargo has long supported communities. In addition to corporate philanthropy which exceeded $440 million in charitable investments last year, the company also runs an annual internal Community Support Campaign, in which team members make financial pledges to nonprofits and volunteer their time to the causes most meaningful to them.

Building upon the success of last year’s Holiday Food Bank program, which helped to provide more than 55 million meals, Wells Fargo encourages customers, team members and community members to join in this year’s effort to help make more meals possible during the holidays.

Through Dec. 31, people can join this effort by:

  • Donating non-perishable goods at one of 5,300 Wells Fargo branch bank locations.
  • Making a monetary donation to a local Feeding America member food bank through a Wells Fargo ATM, online or by texting MEALS to 91990.
  • Volunteering time at a local food bank.

“The holiday season is a critical time for the Feeding America network to rally their communities to help the 37 million people who struggle to put food on their tables,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “We are grateful to Wells Fargo for its commitment to helping children and families who face hunger and we encourage everyone to support their neighbors in need through the Wells Fargo Holiday Food Bank program. This effort will help food banks provide more meals to people who need them most.”

During last year’s Holiday Food Bank program, Wells Fargo team members volunteered more than 9,000 hours at local food banks and expect to increase that support this year through a dedicated effort called “Food Bank Fridays.” Team members in major markets around the U.S. will volunteer at their local Feeding America member food bank and support the program’s goal of making more meals possible this holiday season.

As part of the company’s integrated marketing efforts, country-music star Thomas Rhett will volunteer with Wells Fargo team members at a local Feeding America member food bank near his hometown in Nashville, Tenn., and video highlights from the experience will be shared through social channels as well as integrated in the broadcast of the American Music Awards. Thomas Rhett will also perform a song at the show. Additionally, abstract artist Hueman will create a custom mural based on the theme, “Lending a Helping Hand,” live on the red carpet of the American Music Awards, and artists attending and walking the red carpet will be encouraged to autograph the custom art which will later be auctioned to raise money to support Feeding America’s hunger-relief efforts. The “2019 American Music Awards” will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 24 at 8:00pm EST on ABC.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,500 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 32 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 261,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2019 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Media
Kevin Friedlander, (908) 907-1317
Kevin.Friedlander@wellsfargo.com
@KSFriedlanderWF

Catherine Pulley-Dennison, (646) 634-6515
catherine.pulley@wellsfargo.com

Multimedia Files:

Wells Fargo team members volunteer at a local food bank (Photo: Business Wire) 600 x 400 jpg 162 KB
Wells Fargo's Holiday Food Bank program supports Feeding America food banks around the country. Donations accepted online, via text or ATM. (Photo: Business Wire) 589 x 360 jpg 100 KB
Wells Fargo and Feeding America are working together to help make more meals possible this holiday season. (Graphic: Business Wire) 1224 x 1224 jpg 479 KB
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