Wells Fargo invests $100,000 to Inland Empire non-profit organizations to bolster workforce development and job creation: San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board one of two non-profits chosen
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (March 19, 2014) – Wells Fargo & Company announced today that it will invest $100,000 in Inland Empire organizations and programs that support workforce development and job creation. This funding is part of $1.7 million in grants Wells Fargo plans to give California, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. As part of this investment, the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board will receive $50,000 towards helping residents obtain new skills and find employment.
“We are delighted to receive this grant, which will fund vocational training for 15 individuals, including On-the-Job Training, career counseling and job placement,” said Sandy Harmsen, Executive Director of the County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board.
Wells Fargo & Company’s grant will target unemployed veterans, low-income residents, long-term unemployed and those in transitory living situations.
The Workforce Investment Board has been providing assistance to job seekers for many years. One resident who benefited from a WIB training program is Willie Collins. Despite working for 18 years as a driver, Willie’s Class ‘A’ license expired while he was on leave for disability and he was then unable to find a job.
The WIB paid for his commercial truck driving training, provided resume assistance and helped him find a job making $25.00 an hour. “I am so grateful for the assistance I received. I would never have been able to afford the training on my own. Now, I have a job I love and am able to earn a good living,” said Willie.
San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Rutherford said the Wells Fargo grant will help residents find employment in occupations that are seeing an increase in demand across the region.
“Participants will receive a full complement of employment services. In addition to earning a business-recognized certificate, individuals will get career assessment and planning assistance, and each one will be assigned a personal advisor to help them with resume writing, interview techniques, job searches and job placement.”
The Riverside Community College Foundation’s TriTech Small Business Development Center was also named a $50,000 Wells Fargo Inland Empire grant recipient.
“Wells Fargo understands the importance of workforce development and helping create sustainable communities that have been hard hit with unemployment,” said Celia Lanning, Inland Empire Regional President. “These grants will go a long way to help strengthen and reinforce the efforts of these organizations as they focus on creating jobs in our communities.”
Wells Fargo stated that award recipients were chosen in both urban and rural locations within each state based on their support for individual job seekers, the self-employed and small business owners.
Large cities and urban areas with the highest levels of unemployment as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics were selected. Urban organizations were selected in the following cities:
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- Oakland, San Jose, Fresno, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Anaheim-Santa Ana and Riverside-San Bernardino, California
- Seattle, Washington
- Portland, Oregon
- Anchorage, Alaska
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Rural organizations were selected in each of the four states with the stipulation that 75 percent or more of the grant must benefit programs directly serving rural communities.
In 2013, Wells Fargo invested $275.5 million in grants to 18,500 nonprofits, and team members contributed more than 1.69 million volunteer hours around the country. In the Inland Empire, Wells Fargo invested $2.55 million to 228 schools and non-profits. For more information, please visit: www.wellsfargo.com/about/csr.
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About the Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County
The Workforce Investment Board of San Bernardino County (WIB) is comprised of private business representatives and public partners appointed by the County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors. The Workforce Investment Board strives to strengthen the skills of the County’s workforce through partnerships with business, education and community-based organizations. The County of San Bernardino WIB is committed to providing county resources, which generate jobs and investment.
The Workforce Investment Board, through the County of San Bernardino’s Economic Development Agency and Workforce Development Department, operates the County of San Bernardino’s three America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC). The AJCCs provide individuals with job training, placement and the tools to strengthen their skills to achieve a higher quality of life. The AJCCs also support and provide services to the County’s businesses, including employee recruitment and business retention programs.
Employers and job seekers who are interested in the Workforce Investment Board programs may call: (800) 451-JOBS or visit www.csb-win.org.
Also follow us on: Facebook www.facebook.com/SBWIB; Twitter @InlandEmpireJob; and YouTube http://www.youtube.com/SBCountyWIB
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About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.5 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 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, and the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at blog.wellsfargo.com.