Wells Fargo Nearly Doubled its Initial Goal to Support Service Members, Veterans; Donating $66 Million Over Past Three Years

SAN FRANCISCO, November 5, 2015 /3BL Media/ – Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced that it has donated more than $66 million to help service members, veterans, and their families over the past three years — well surpassing its $35 million goal.

In November 2012, Wells Fargo pledged $30 million in property donations to wounded veterans and an additional $5 million in donations to military- and veteran- related nonprofits. The company also committed to increasing veteran hiring initiatives and financial education.  Wells Fargo now has surpassed its original goal by more than $31 million.

Since November 2012, Wells Fargo has:

• Donated or is in the process of donating to wounded veterans more than 300 properties valued at more than $49 million.
• Donated nearly $17 million to military- and veteran- related nonprofits.
• Hired more than 4,800 veterans.
• Participated in more than 650 military job fairs.
• Launched Hands on Banking for Military®, a financial education program that has been used by more than 100,000 people.

“While Wells Fargo has been committed to service members, veterans, and their families for more than 163 years, we’ve really increased our commitment and support over the past three years,” said Jerry Quinn, Wells Fargo Military & Veteran Programs manager. “In 2016 and beyond, we will remain committed to the three areas where we feel we can have the greatest impact: empowering service members and veterans to succeed financially through home ownership, career transition, and financial education.”

Wells Fargo will take part in numerous activities throughout November to celebrate National Veteran Small Business Week, Veterans Day and Military Family Month. Several examples:

• Wells Fargo is part of the Coalition for Veteran Owned Businesses and will help support one of the organization’s goals — to increase opportunities for diverse suppliers. Wells Fargo’s Supplier Diversity program builds relationships with diverse-owned businesses, including veterans, and integrates those businesses into its supply chain.
• Wells Fargo is a participating lender in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Veterans Pledge Initiative, an industry-wide effort to increase SBA lending to veteran small business entrepreneurs by 5 percent a year through 2017. Wells Fargo supports the SBA’s efforts to approve more SBA loans for military veteran small business entrepreneurs who seek financing and are ready to use credit for their business.
• Wells Fargo is participating in numerous Veterans Day events across the U.S., including sponsorship of the Salute to Service in San Diego and participation in 11 parades across the U.S. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage has invited veterans to ride inside the Wells Fargo stagecoach during Veterans Day parades in Dallas, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Antonio, and New York. These veterans have received mortgage-free homes donated by Wells Fargo in collaboration with Military Warriors Support Foundation and Operation Homefront. During the San Francisco parade on Nov. 8, home donation recipient James Gordon, an Army veteran, will receive the deed to his donated home, signaling his completion of the financial education program that will help him sustain homeownership.
• Wells Fargo has provided more than $3 million in support for GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit organization that makes solar power and solar job training accessible in underserved communities, including targeted support for its veteran's job training initiative. This Veterans Day, Wells Fargo volunteers will join GRID Alternatives and veteran job trainees in three California communities — San Diego, Paso Robles, and Riverside — to help install solar power panels  for veteran families. 
• Wells Fargo will offer three free financial educational webinars to service members Nov. 10–12. Topics include purchasing a home, managing credit, and budgeting and saving. The free online sessions are offered through the Military Mortgage Express^® program. The instructor-led sessions are open to all interested military members, veterans, and family members. Participants have the opportunity to ask questions. Registration at www.wellsfargo.com/rsvp is required (use codes Mil1stHome, MilBudget, and MilCredit). Space is limited; those interested are encouraged to register early.

More information about Wells Fargo’s support of service members, veterans, and their families is available at wellsfargo.com/military/veterans.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.8 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,700 locations, 12,800 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.

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