In 2006, Wells Fargo awarded 32 grants and $166,000 to nonprofit organizations in Santa Monica and Venice.
“This generosity year after year confirms what we all know about Wells Fargo and our team members,” said Shelley Benson, Wells Fargo regional president for the Los Angeles community bank. “Unlike many large companies, our decisions on giving come from our team members who live and work in their communities and who know the needs of their communities better than anyone else. That local decision-making makes a huge difference.”
Wells Fargo contributed more than half of its Santa Monica and Venice charitable donations to education and youth programs. Local programs like Painted Turtle, Neighborhood Youth Association in Venice, Pico Youth and Family Center and Musica Angelica benefited from the charitable giving.
Donations also supported Santa Monica organizations such as the California Heritage Museum, the Rape Foundation, John Wayne Cancer Institute, the Milken Institute, the CLARE Foundation, One Voice, Santa Monica Police Activities League and Common Ground – The Westside HIV Community Center.
“At the core of Wells Fargo’s vision and values is our commitment to give back to the communities we serve,” said Jonathan Weedman, head of the Wells Fargo Foundation in Los Angeles. “We value the longtime partnerships we share with so many outstanding nonprofits in and around Santa Monica, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen those relationships in the future.”
