Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is teaming with Habitat for Humanity to help families stay in their homes and neighborhoods, and to champion advocacy work that helps people meet basic shelter needs, among other initiatives.
Wells Fargo has donated $10.7 million directly to local Habitat organizations across the country in 2019 to help build affordable housing. An additional $788,000 gift this year and $2.25 million from an earlier donation will support Habitat for Humanity International initiatives that:
- Educate and advocate for affordable housing solutions;
- Provide repairs that help aging homeowners remain in their homes;
- Help residents revitalize their neighborhoods;
- Aid military veterans in obtaining an affordable and decent place to call home;
- Provide resources to help make large-scale Habitat events successful; and
- Build organizational capacity supporting the relocation of its administrative headquarters in Atlanta
The collaboration with Habitat builds on the evolution of Wells Fargo’s philanthropy strategy, which includes a $1 billion commitment to address the housing affordability crisis over the next six years, and an increased focus on financial health and small business growth.
“Having generous partners like Wells Fargo is so important as we work to help families and communities improve their shelter conditions,” said Julie Laird Davis, Habitat’s vice president of Corporate Partnerships and Cause Marketing. “We are so grateful for the Wells Fargo partnership and the impact that will be made across the country.”
As part of the collaboration, Wells Fargo will continue to support Habitat’s implementation of CAPABLE, a program designed to combine nursing and occupational therapy services with Habitat’s expertise in home repairs. More than 40 low-income, older adults in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Maryland will have repairs made to their homes, helping them safely remain in their residences as they age. Projects will range from minor work, like tightening handrails or repairing steps, to critical roof and plumbing repairs, floor installations, mold remediation and removing other hazards.
Wells Fargo also will support the second year of Habitat’s neighborhood revitalization study. Through this program, Habitat works in coalition with partners to provide residents with resources to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Wells Fargo team member volunteers will work alongside residents in five communities in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia on projects, including making critical repairs to existing homes and constructing new homes on abandoned lots.
In addition, Wells Fargo is supporting Habitat’s first-ever nationwide advocacy campaign in the United States, Cost of Home. Through the Cost of Home campaign, Habitat will mobilize volunteers, community members and partners throughout the U.S. to find solutions and help create policies that will allow 10 million individuals to meet their most basic needs. Wells Fargo also sponsored Habitat’s 36th Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, where team member volunteers worked side-by-side with President and Mrs. Carter and Habitat volunteers in Nashville to help build 21 homes.
“Housing affordability is a major issue affecting communities across the U.S., as far too many families struggle with the burden of paying half or more of their household incomes to keep a roof over their heads,” said Brandee McHale, head of corporate philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “As we work together to create innovative solutions, we are also focused on revitalizing existing housing inventory by supporting advocacy work such as Cost of Home and projects like CAPABLE, which preserves dignity for seniors as they age in place.”
Since 2010, Wells Fargo has committed $89.4 million to Habitat for Humanity with more than $6 million supporting national Habitat for Humanity programs.
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 local communities across all 50 states in 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
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 7,600 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com). With approximately 263,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. With its corporate philanthropy, Wells Fargo aims to pave a path to stability and financial success for underserved communities by focusing on housing affordability, small business growth, and financial health, among other local community needs. In 2018, Wells Fargo donated $444 million to nearly 11,000 nonprofits. 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 actively support communities by donating more than 2 million hours of volunteer time in the last year. News, insights and more information on the company’s overall corporate responsibility are available at Wells Fargo Stories and www.wellsfargo.com/impact.
