Wells Fargo Commits $1 Million to Team Rubicon's Mission

This grant enables global and local disaster & humanitarian relief where it's needed most

LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Veteran-led humanitarian organization, Team Rubicon today announced a $1 million grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. Since launching in 2010, Team Rubicon has deployed over 1,000 operations locally and globally in response to disasters and humanitarian crises of all sizes.

As we approach another record-breaking hurricane season, Team Rubicon and Wells Fargo will support the unique needs facing crisis-impacted communities. With Team Rubicon's veteran-led volunteer base, local Greyshirt volunteers can provide communities with the full spectrum of disaster services. Through Wells Fargo's $1 million commitment, Team Rubicon's localized teams will provide vulnerable communities with the resources, services, and training needed in order to prepare, respond, rebuild, and recover from crises.

For some families in the West, this funding provides Team Rubicon with the resources to support fire-prone states through mitigation services. In these vulnerable areas, Team Rubicon's volunteers will work with community stakeholders to lower or prevent fire risks before wildfire season. Mitigation services can include creating defensible space around homes. For other families in the Southeast, it also means Greyshirt volunteers can begin work within hours of a storm passing through a city.

Finally, for many families who experience unprecedented losses and damage to their homes, this grant enables Team Rubicon to repair and rebuild homes for people in need of timely, free, and sustainable home construction services ­– a priority that aligns with Wells Fargo's commitment to safe, affordable, and sustainable housing.

"We are extremely grateful to Wells Fargo for their collaboration, and we are honored to be recognized as a preferred disaster partner," stated Art delaCruz, CEO of Team Rubicon. "We applaud Wells Fargo's commitment to a safer and more equitable tomorrow, and we are confident that by working together, our organizations can make a sizeable impact to provide needed disaster relief for under-represented communities."

Team Rubicon focuses on three areas of impact: disaster services - from mitigation to immediate response, rebuild services - rebuilding safe and resilient homes, and international services - providing medical aid and assistance to people around the world.

"Wells Fargo and Team Rubicon have a shared commitment to equity in disaster relief and response, particularly for those with housing challenges," said Molly Porter, interim president of the Wells Fargo Foundation. "Many impacted individuals are often uninsured or underinsured and have significant rebuild and housing needs but are often the last to receive assistance when disaster strikes. We applaud Team Rubicon's consistent focus on equity and their leadership in reaching underserved communities."

Team Rubicon's highly skilled volunteer force of 150,000 helps communities stabilize and recover. The organization's communications infrastructure supported by cutting-edge technology solutions enables volunteers to efficiently and effectively respond to disasters to help families return to their homes as soon as possible. Additionally, by giving military veteran volunteers the opportunity to continue their service alongside first responders and civilians, Team Rubicon provides them an avenue to gain a renewed sense of purpose, community, and identity.

About Team Rubicon

Team Rubicon serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service by leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises. Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the organization has grown to over 150,000 volunteers across the United States and has launched over 1,000 operations both domestically and internationally. Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, Team Rubicon has not only pivoted to be able to continue to deliver disaster response and rebuild services in core mission areas but has also expanded their scope of missions to meet community needs brought about by COVID. Visit www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information. Visit www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information.

CONTACT: Sharon Nieuwenhuis, [email protected]

SOURCE Team Rubicon