United Way Worldwide have announced an $18 million gift from Wells Fargo & Company to support United Way’s efforts to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community by helping one million people find jobs that allow them to better support their families and strengthen their communities, within five years.
Jobs are vital cornerstones of healthy families and communities. Unfortunately, across society, too many people – particularly young people – lack the skills and training needed for the jobs of the 21st century. According to a study by McKinsey and Co., approximately 75 million young people are unemployed around the world, and 225 million are underemployed. The lack of adequate education and job training systems is a leading cause.
“United Way fights to ensure that every person in every community has the opportunity to succeed,” said Brian Gallagher, President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. “As part of this commitment, we bring together community leaders from across the public, private and non-profit sectors to strengthen education and training programs so that more people can get jobs that improve their quality of life. This generous gift from Wells Fargo will strengthen our ability to build coalitions that help people get good jobs, support their families and strengthen their communities.”
To help one million people find sustainable employment, United Way will build on the success of network leaders, such as United Way of Greater Cincinnati, with established job training and employment strategies. Its initiative, Partners for a Competitive Workforce, is a collaboration of more than 150 organizations that have prepared more than 11,000 residents for good jobs in growing industries like health care, advanced manufacturing, and logistics.
“Wells Fargo has made it a priority to help create opportunities for economic equity in underserved communities,” said Jon Campbell, head of Corporate Responsibility and Community Relations at Wells Fargo. “United Way has been a tremendous partner for Wells Fargo, and we are proud to support this new initiative to expand access to steady employment which is key to achieving financial self-sufficiency and income mobility.”
Since 2009, Wells Fargo has contributed more than $510 million to United Way through grants, campaign support and sponsorship, financial education programs, and international donor advised giving. The company also created a Financial Capability Network in partnership with United Way that has helped more than 30,000 low-income families take important steps toward financial stability. Wells Fargo’s annual Community Support Campaign has been United Way’s top corporate campaign every year since 2010. More than 100 Wells Fargo team members serve on local United Way Boards of Directors.
Links
https://stories.wf.com/continuing-commitment-creating-stronger-communities/
