– The Wells Fargo Foundation recently awarded Hope For The Warriors (HOPE), a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a foundation of stability, strength and community for post-9/11 military families, a $200,000 grant.

Additionally, Wells Fargo and Capital Ford Wilmington and Capital Ford Raleigh, jointly contributed $66,000 for a new 2024 Ford Transit XL 15-passenger van, which will support HOPE’s various programs and events across the country. The van was presented during the organization’s 15th Annual Hope For The Warriors Celebrity Invitational hosted in Wallace, North Carolina.

The $200,000 unrestricted grant funds will be used to advance financial wellness and career readiness of the post-9/11 veterans, transitioning service members, their families and caregivers through HOPE’s Critical Needs and Warrior’s Compass programs.

Wells Fargo is committed to empowering military communities to effectively navigate life’s transitions to achieve ongoing career and financial success while impacting their community. Over the past 5 years (2019-2023), Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded over $64 million in grants to non-profit organizations primarily serving military members or veterans, which support housing, career transition, financial health, and small business.

“Wells Fargo has been helping military members, veterans, and their families for over 160 years,” said Sean Passmore, Head of Enterprise Military and Veteran Initiatives, Wells Fargo. "Providing grant support to nonprofit organizations like Hope for the Warriors allows us to raise up our community through programs that are truly making an impact for veterans, transitioning service members and their families." 

“At Capital Ford, we take our commitment to the community seriously and we’re proud to support Hope For The Warriors, an organization that share our values,” said Josh Barbour, Capital Ford General Manager. “We know that the van we’re donating will be used to serve military members who have spent their lives serving us.”  

Through the Critical Needs program, support will provide direct short-term financial assistance to military families experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of eviction or homelessness, food insecurity or barriers to mental and/or medical care. The goal of the financial assistance is to ensure housing stability in the form of rent/mortgage and utilities, and food security as well as transportation costs to remove barriers to essential mental and medical care/treatment/appointments.

In addition, Warrior’s Compass connects clients to HOPE’s portfolio of veteran-friendly employers throughout the U.S. Led by certified professional career coaches, webinars are designed to connect personnel, hiring managers, and military employee resource groups with interested, career-motivated transitioning service members, veterans or spouses. The webinars provide transition guidance, mentorship, skills development, and the opportunity to engage with hiring experts.

“We know how critical emergency funds and career transitions assistance are to the military families we support,” said Robin Kelleher, co-founder and CEO for Hope For The Warriors. “It means stability for the entire family. Families not having to move, yet again. 

“In addition to the grant money, the donated 15-passanger van will continue to have a huge impact on the families we serve for years to come. From transporting military families at our events, warrior athletes and their adaptive equipment, to allowing our staff to attend and set up events, this new van is a wonderful blessing to the organization!”

For more information on Hope For The Warriors, visit hopeforthewarriors.org, Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.

For more information on the Wells Fargo’s veteran initiatives, visit Support for service members and their families – Wells Fargo