Wells Fargo Donates $350,000 for Columbia-Area Revitalization Efforts

Local NeighborhoodLIFT grants address economic and workforce
development, youth programs and neighborhood beautification for Columbia

COLUMBIA, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) today announced a total of $350,000 in
donations for three local nonprofits intended to help revitalize
Columbia neighborhoods through the Wells Fargo NeighborhoodLIFT^®
program.

The local grant recipients were identified in collaboration with City of
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.

“The best part about these causes is that they impact all generations,”
said Mayor Benjamin. “From playgrounds, to job training, to home
repairs, these grants will foster economic opportunity and make lives
better for so many of our residents. I salute Wells Fargo for their
commitment to helping our neighborhoods and families.”

The Wells Fargo Foundation is providing grants to the following Columbia
nonprofits:

• Columbia Urban League – $100,000 grant to support the Summer
  Work Experience Leadership Program (SWELP), which enhances character
  and leadership skills for youths ages 14-19 as it relates to
  employability and job training. SWELP helps teens develop critical
  thinking techniques, teaches a sense of responsibility, and encourages
  effective, appropriate communication. It also helps to foster strong
  work ethic and self-esteem. About 400 participants will work 20 hours
  per week during the program.
• HomeWorks of America, Inc. – $100,000 grant to serve low- and
  moderate-income homeowners with home repairs that may otherwise be
  unattainable. HomeWorks will rebuild at least six homes that were
  damaged in the October 2015 flood, provide safety and sanitation
  repairs to nearly 100 homes across the state, and provide case
  management to homeowners in need of meals, transportation and more.
  Repairs will continue throughout the year, maintaining a continual
  flow of volunteers.
• Parks and Recreation Foundation – $150,000 grant will be used
  for two projects:
  • An educational initiative to provide people in communities with
    high unemployment, lack of access to nutritious food, and
    unfamiliarity with healthy cooking and eating habits with
    resources and tools for dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as
    job skills to help participants enter into the culinary field.
    Programming will include certification for employment upon
    completion, health and wellness workshops and afterschool sessions
    focused on gardening and farm-to-table foods. It will also serve
    as an incubator for entrepreneurs beginning a start-up business,
    and small businesses requiring a commercial kitchen. Services will
    benefit approximately 688 families, including adults, senior
    citizens and children.
  • A neighborhood beautification project that includes construction
    of a new playground in the Fairwold Acres/Harlem Heights
    neighborhood. The playground will have two sections to foster
    creative play – an area for kids ages 5 to 12 and another for 2 to
    5-year-olds. Upon completion, it will provide a playground for the
    local elementary school, which does not currently have one, and be
    a place where children can feel safe.

  The grants are funded through Wells Fargo’s NeighborhoodLIFT program
  that was launched in July 2016 for Columbia-area homebuyers with a $4.1
  million commitment by Wells Fargo to boost local homeownership and
  revitalize neighborhoods. NeighborhoodLIFT created
  more than 100 homeowners in Richland and Lexington counties by offering
  homebuyer education plus matching down payment assistance grants up to
  $7,500. About 250 down payment assistance grants are still available and
  interested homebuyers may contact NeighborWorks America’s local network
  member, Origin, or Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Columbia for information
  about eligibility requirements.

  The Wells Fargo NeighborhoodLIFT local initiative grants for Columbia
  will provide support for economic and workforce development, youth
  programs and neighborhood beautification.

  “Wells Fargo cares about our communities, and we are making these
  investments to continue the revitalization effort to strengthen
  Columbia,” said Kathy Heffley, Wells Fargo region president in South
  Carolina. “These nonprofits are actively leading efforts to help create
  jobs, foster youth development and much more. We believe these grants
  will add up to make a big impact.”

  About NeighborhoodLIFT

  NeighborhoodLIFT^® program is the single largest corporate
  philanthropic effort of its kind in Wells Fargo’s history. In
  collaboration with NeighborWorks America, the Wells Fargo LIFT program
  has helped create more than 13,250 homeowners in 50 communities since
  2012. A video about NeighborhoodLIFT programs is posted on Wells
  Fargo Stories.

  About Wells Fargo

  Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a diversified, community-based
  financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852
  and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking,
  insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance
  through more than 8,600 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com)
  and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to
  support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With
  approximately 269,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three
  households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27
  on Fortune’s 2016 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells
  Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help
  them succeed financially. News, insights and perspectives from Wells
  Fargo are also available at Wells
  Fargo Stories.

  Contacts

  Wells Fargo & Company
  Media
  Amy Amirault,
  843-870-6385
  Amy.Amirault@wellsfargo.com
  Chris
  Hammond, 415-222-4106
  chris.l.hammond@wellsfargo.com