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American Red Cross thanks Wells Fargo customers who donated $300,000 for California wildfire relief
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – In response to the wildfires in California, Wells Fargo donated $100,000 to fund American Red Cross Disaster Relief last month and offered its customers the opportunity to donate to support the American Red Cross California Wildfires through its network of 3,396 California ATMs – 100 percent of the donations going directly to the nonprofit during the three week ATM fundraising campaign.
This week officials announced that the campaign was successful in raising more than $300,000 for the American Red Cross with an average donation of approximately $30.
This fundraising campaign set the Wells Fargo record for raising more money than any other Wells Fargo ATM fundraising campaign at a regional level.
Only three Wells Fargo ATM fundraising campaigns have raised more money, but those were national fundraising campaigns with the reach of 12,800 ATMs.
The donation will help provide food, shelter, basic health services, mental health support and relief and clean up supplies to those impacted by the growing wildfires and countless other disasters big and small.
"Wells Fargo is a longtime supporter of the American Red Cross, and we are so grateful for its ongoing support of our disaster relief operations," said Trevor Riggen, CEO, American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region. "On this occasion, I want to say ‘thank you’ to Wells Fargo customers who responded to the call to action to help people impacted by the devastating wildfires. This wildfire season – particularly the latest fast-moving, all-consuming fires in California this past month – required an immediate response by the Red Cross and the community and will necessitate an ongoing delivery of humanitarian services; we simply couldn't do this work without the support of donors like Wells Fargo and its generous customers."
“The response to our California ATM campaign was nothing short of amazing and we cannot thank our customers and communities enough,” said David Galasso, lead regional president of the Northern and Central California region for Wells Fargo. “Being able to partner with our team members, customers and neighbors to contribute $400,000 to the American Red Cross will help play a very important role in supporting the victims of these wildfires with recovery and rebuilding efforts.”
“At Wells Fargo, we take pride in being a community bank. A community bank is one that helps individuals achieve their financial dreams, and as importantly strengthens communities through various forms of support—especially when times are challenging,” said Greg Morgan, executive vice president and president of the San Francisco Bay market for Wells Fargo. “I am proud that our company contributed to wildfire relief efforts, and I am even more impressed by the generosity of our customers who overwhelmingly responded to help our communities impacted by the wildfires and countless other crises big and small.”
The American Red Cross and many community partners and agencies continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to families in Calaveras, Amador and Lake counties one month after two of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history sparked.
The Butte and Valley fires burned more than 150,000 square acres and destroyed more than 1,700 homes, displacing thousands of families.
Red Cross and community volunteers began helping within the first minutes of the fires, providing shelter, food, water, basic necessities, mental health, and basic health services for thousands of people in the path of the wildfires.
As evacuation orders were lifted, Red Cross volunteers, working together with many community members, distributed drinking water, hot meals, and clean-up and relief supplies to impacted neighborhoods, supporting people as they returned to their properties.
Red Cross caseworkers are meeting one-on-one with each family affected by the wildfires to understand each unique situation and help them on the road to recovery with the information, assistance, and access to resources from numerous partner agencies.
California Wildfires Response by the Numbers:
– More than 120,000 meals and snacks served by Salvation Army, Southern Baptist, community groups, local restaurants and the Red Cross;
– More than 58,000 relief items water, snacks, hot meals, non-perishable meals, and clean-up items such as work gloves, buckets, trash bags, sifters, and dust masks;
– More than 11,000 overnight stays in 12 community or Red Cross shelters;
– More than 9,900 health and mental health contacts;
– More than 1,500 cases opened by Red Cross caseworkers to provide individualized recovery support.
Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 other disasters every year, from wildfires to home fires and more.
