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Wells Fargo donates $40k to local food bank.
In an effort to fight hunger in local communities during this holiday season, Wells Fargo announced Dec. 17 that it’s celebrating its partnership with Feeding America member food banks across the nation by making a $40,000 donation to the Southeast Texas Food Bank in Beaumont.
Millions of people nationwide face hunger every holiday season, and this year the COVID-19 pandemic thrust even more Americans into this vulnerable position. Unfortunately, hunger in Southeast Texas is also a problem of unprecedented scale. The ordinary food insecurity rate in Southeast Texas is roughly 1 in 5 people, meaning nearly 20% of the community’s population ordinarily lacks access to enough food to sustain a healthy and active lifestyle. In the wake of the COVID-19 economic impact, Feeding America estimates the Southeast Texas food insecurity rate will rise to affect 1 in 4 people and 1 in 3 children.
Wells Fargo has a long-standing relationship with Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the country, and its network of 200 member food banks, which includes the Southeast Texas Food Bank. All of these local food banks are receiving grants so they can provide meals for families in need.
“Hunger is a year-round issue, which is even more pronounced during the holidays. And this year, due to the pandemic, the need for food is unfortunately much greater than ever before,” said Darryl Montgomery, region bank president, Wells Fargo. “Wells Fargo is deeply committed to the communities it serves. We are glad to support the community through this crisis with funding for a total of $40,000 so that the Southeast Texas Food Bank’s partner agencies across eight counties in the area can provide meals to people in need. There are many hearts and one community, and we humbly join others in solidarity to help during these tough times.”
“This donation will help us put food on the table for additional individuals and families in Southeast Texas that have fallen on hard times due to the pandemic or other reasons,” said Dan Maher, Southeast Texas Food Bank President/CEO. “We thank Wells Fargo for the funding this holiday season as well as for the support they provide throughout the year to address the critical issue of hunger.”
Earlier this year, Wells Fargo launched a nationwide Drive-Up Food Bank program, in which the company helped reach families facing hunger due to the COVID-19 pandemic by working with local Feeding America member food banks to reach more people by distributing food at some of the company’s branches and corporate locations. Through the end of the year, Wells Fargo will direct grants to the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, fulfilling the company’s previous commitment to help provide an estimated 82 million meals to families in need.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.92 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to “satisfy 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 7,200 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 31 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. Wells Fargo serves 1 in 3 households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2020 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com and Twitter: @WellsFargo.