Veteran-led humanitarian organization to continue hurricane relief in the Southeast and will deploy expertise when other disasters hit
The Wells Fargo Foundation is donating $2 million to Team Rubicon over the next two years to support lasting disaster relief, including most recently in the hard-hit Southeastern United States. This funding will enable thousands of volunteers, including military veterans, first responders and civilians to deploy quickly and for extended periods of time, providing critical support to communities as they rebuild.
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New grant from Wells Fargo will help veteran-led Team Rubicon continue to clear debris and help communities recover from natural disasters, including active efforts underway in Western North Carolina and Florida. (Photo: Wells Fargo)
The veteran‑led humanitarian organization Team Rubicon serves communities impacted before, during, and after disasters and crises. Since inception in 2010, Team Rubicon says it has launched over 1,200 operations across the globe. So far in 2024 alone, the organization has served over 2.9 million individuals.
Most recently, in Western North Carolina, Team Rubicon Greyshirt volunteers are mucking out more than 150 rooms at the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s Veterans Restoration Quarters, a converted motel providing housing for 250 vulnerable veterans. Volunteers are clearing debris from this facility, using tools from shovels to heavy equipment, allowing the facility to be rebuilt.
“Wells Fargo salutes Team Rubicon’s year-round disaster resiliency, relief and recovery work,” said Anna Bard, head of disaster relief philanthropy, employee giving and volunteerism at Wells Fargo. “Team Rubicon arrives in the moments after a disaster, taking on some of the hardest, dirtiest jobs. They work hand-in-hand with local agencies, going where they’re most needed and staying to help communities heal and rebuild. The level of skill and dedication this veteran-led organization brings to a challenge is inspiring, even drawing in our own employees who volunteer alongside them.”
The $2 million in grant funding from Wells Fargo will go towards Team Rubicon’s Ready Reserve Fund. Team Rubicon leans into its Ready Reserve Fund to prepare for disasters and to conduct trainings for Greyshirts, its cadre of fearless volunteers.
“In times of crisis, our Greyshirts are the backbone of our response efforts, providing crucial support to communities,” said Art delaCruz, CEO of Team Rubicon. “The Ready Reserve Fund allows us to be ready instantly. With forward funding from partners like Wells Fargo, we pre-stage resources and assist survivors within hours of hurricanes like Helene and Milton. The fund also enables us to train before the storms, ensuring we can deploy skilled volunteers.”
In 2023, Wells Fargo announced $1.7 million in support of Team Rubicon, including support for its Team Rubicon TRades Academy designed to address the need for credentialed contractors in communities nationwide, especially after natural disasters. This effort is aimed at offering veterans a meaningful path to employment while also helping people repair one of their most valuable assets – their home.
For more information on Team Rubicon, or to join the mission, visit TeamRubiconUSA.org.
About Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon is a veteran led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the organization has grown to more than 180,000 volunteers across the United States and has launched more than 1,200 operations domestically and internationally. To drive equity across disaster and humanitarian services, Team Rubicon focuses on three areas of impact: disaster services – from mitigation to immediate response to recovery; rebuild services – maintaining the fabric of communities through resilient building methods; and international services – providing emergent and surge medical services, WASH, and disaster risk reduction. The organization is featured in the Roku original series titled “Team Rubicon,” which highlights the work of Greyshirt volunteers assisting communities across the country. Go to http://www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 34 on Fortune’s 2024 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellsfargo
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Kim Erlichson
Wells Fargo
Kim.erlichson@wellsfargo.com
