Saying ‘thanks’ could do $1 million of good

That’s the recipe for Wells Fargo’s new campaign for the holidays which lets people use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to say “thanks” and do good.

Through Dec. 27, Wells Fargo will donate $5 to the American Red Cross for every post on the three channels that uses the #WFGivesThanks hashtag, up to $1 million.

It’s an opportunity to thank teachers, frontline workers, military members, and others who have brought comfort, hope, and kindness to their communities amid the pandemic while, at the same time, supporting the work of the Red Cross.

The effort is part of Wells Fargo’s “Many hearts. One community.” holiday focus on supporting important anchors in our communities including small businesses, Feeding America member food banks helping to provide food for neighbors in need, and frontline workers and military families in teamwork with the Red Cross.

“Our hope with #WFGivesThanks is to brighten the holidays and honor what so many frontline heroes have done to carry us through the pandemic,” said Lynne Walters, head of global employee engagement for Wells Fargo’s Social Impact & Sustainability group.

“Saying ‘thank you’ can be as simple as putting a sign in your front yard, making a homemade card, creating a video message, or retweeting or sharing a Wells Fargo e-card,” she said. “Whatever you choose to do, tag your posts with #WFGivesThanks and create a ripple effect allowing the Red Cross to further its humanitarian work around the world.”

To participate, first make sure your account is public, and then tag your post with #WFGivesThanks — whether you share the company’s e-cards or create and share your own.

• Create your own message to post or tweet.
• Or, share one of the e-cards posted to Wells Fargo’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages beginning Dec. 1. You can also right-click and save the image you want to share from this page.
• Include #WFGivesThanks in your copy. Be sure your profile is set to public.

The hashtag campaign, and money customers contribute at Wells Fargo ATMs through the end of 2020 in “Many hearts. One community.” donations, support the Red Cross’s armed forces, disaster relief, lifesaving blood, international services, and health & safety training and education programs worldwide.

Don Herring, chief development officer for the Red Cross, said each day, on average, those services:

The Red Cross also provides services at all U.S. military installations and more than 35 international installations — a presence that facilitated bringing home a military mom’s son.

“My father was dying and after contacting the Red Cross, I knew within an hour that my son was coming home to say goodbye to his grandfather,” the grateful mother said. “It was truly a blessing for our family and his comfort was something I as his mother needed.”  

Thanks to donors like Wells Fargo, Herring said the Red Cross helps nearly 71,000 military members on emergency leave reunite with their family each year. #WFGivesThanks will help the nonprofit bring more military members home during family emergencies in December.

Herring said the added stress of the pandemic makes the Red Cross mission of alleviating human suffering more important than ever.

“The holiday season reminds us how important it is to give back to help people in need, whether it’s providing food and refuge to disaster survivors, emergency support to military families, or lifesaving blood to hospital patients,” he said. “We’re honored to count on partners like Wells Fargo, whose community spirit and commitment support our humanitarian mission to ease people’s suffering every day.”

Wells Fargo has a long legacy of working with the Red Cross on disaster relief. Since 2007, Wells Fargo customers have had the ability to make ATM donations (with a $249.99 limit per transaction) to help the Red Cross provide food, clothing, and other assistance after floods, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other disasters.

* 82 million meals calculation is based on 1) Actual number of meals distributed through Wells Fargo Drive-Up Food Bank events and 2) Wells Fargo’s financial contributions to support Feeding America food banks 7/20/20 – 12/31/20. $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

** From 11/23/20 to 12/27/20, for every Wells Fargo card retweeted or shared on Twitter In-Feed, Instagram In-Feed, and/or Facebook In-Feed that includes the #WFGivesThanks hashtag, Wells Fargo will donate $5 to American Red Cross. (Maximum donation of $1,000,000; Wells Fargo is also guaranteeing a minimum donation of $500,000.) Social media user’s profile must be set to public in order for # share to count.

This holiday season, Wells Fargo is saluting those who have been working tirelessly for their communities during the pandemic. We’re proud to:

• Extend our relationship with Feeding America member food banks to help combat the sharp rise in food insecurity and ensure families have holiday meals on the table. By year-end, Wells Fargo will have helped provide 82 million meals* to families in need in 2020. Wells Fargo will also contribute $250,000 to nonprofits feeding families in need in countries across the company’s global footprint.
• Raise up to $1 million for the American Red Cross by encouraging everyone to shower frontline workers and military personnel with gratitude. For each digital holiday note of thanks with the hashtag #WFGivesThanks**, Wells Fargo will donate $5. We will also bring joy to military families by helping them reunite for the holidays.
• Help small businesses hardest hit this year by deploying approximately $50 million of the Wells Fargo Open For Business Fund to nonprofits that help them to stay open, and use social media and other marketing platforms to encourage people to “shop local” and shine a light on these vital businesses.

‘Many hearts. One community.’ | This holiday season, Wells Fargo is supporting the American Red Cross and reuniting military families, providing millions of meals by teaming up with Feeding America, and shining a light on small businesses.