Wells Fargo donates $18 million to strengthen Habitat for Humanity’s work in local communities
Donation will help Habitat build capacity for its operations in local communities and assist with ongoing disaster recovery efforts
ATLANTA (Dec. 20, 2017) – Habitat for Humanity International today announced it received an $18 million gift from Wells Fargo & Company to help the organization strengthen the services and support it provides to its local operations across the United States. A portion of the gift will also help Habitat make greater investments in disaster preparedness to lessen the impact of future disasters when they occur as well as further Habitat’s ongoing post-disaster rebuilding efforts in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.
In addition to the gift, Wells Fargo team members will provide ongoing financial and volunteer support on Habitat projects in locations where the company has a business presence.
“This generous donation from Wells Fargo will enable us to partner with more families in need of a decent place to call home,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO at Habitat for Humanity International. “These much-needed funds also will allow us to make critical improvements to our operations and help us better address the growing need for affordable housing throughout the country.”
“We have seen the positive impact made in local communities through our work with Habitat for Humanity and this donation will help to further advance our commitment to economic empowerment through affordable homeownership,” said Jon Campbell, head of Community Relations and Corporate Responsibility at Wells Fargo. “The funding will also enable Wells Fargo to exceed our goal of building and improving 1,000 homes between 2016 and 2020 for low- and moderate-income homeowners, seniors, veterans and families.”
Since 2010, the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation has donated more than $40 million to Habitat for Humanity – locally and through its national partnership – to support affordable and sustainable housing. Contributions include $13 million in grants to Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization program, as well as contributions to the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, Habitat on the Hill and A Brush with Kindness Week.
Wells Fargo team members have volunteered on a Habitat home equivalent to every day for six consecutive years. Among the leading providers of volunteers to Habitat, Wells Fargo team members have volunteered more than 355,000 hours since 2010 to build and improve more than 2,500 Habitat homes in partnership with families in need of safe and decent shelter. In addition, more than 85 Wells Fargo team members serve on local Habitat boards throughout the country. In 2016, Wells Fargo donated more than $7 million in grant funding to support local Habitat organizations and the work of Habitat for Humanity around the world.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 1,300 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company 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, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,400 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 268,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2017 rankings of America’s largest corporations. The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked Wells Fargo No. 3 on its most recent list of the top corporate cash philanthropists. In 2016, Wells Fargo donated $281.3 million to 14,900 nonprofits and Wells Fargo team members volunteered 1.73 million hours with 50,000 nonprofits. Wells Fargo’s corporate social responsibility efforts are focused on three priorities: economic empowerment in underserved communities, environmental sustainability, and advancing diversity and social inclusion. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.