WELLS FARGO COMMUNITY FUNDING COUNCIL GRANT FUNDS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN THE ST. CROIX VALLEY

(Stillwater, August 20, 2013) The Wells Fargo Community Funding Council (WFCFC), comprised of Wells Fargo employees from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, annually awards small grants to Twin Cities non-profit organizations, selecting Youth Advantage as one of its 2013 recipients. The Council was formed in 1976 by Wells Fargo’s predecessor, Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis, to tap employee's knowledge of their communities and to support employee involvement in community affairs.  A special allocation of $180,000 from Wells Fargo Minnesota's contribution budget is used by the Council for making grants of up to $12,000.  Each year, the Council consults with community leaders, non-profit organizations, fellow employees, and management to determine a focus for their giving that is both critical to the community and related to Wells Fargo's business objectives.

Wells Fargo’s primary contribution focus in the Twin Cities is economic improvement for low-income families and communities.  For 2013, the Council has chosen to focus on non-profits that provide out-of-school-time enrichment programs supporting youth, aged 13-19, to help foster a desire to stay in school, encourage higher education goals, and build positive career aspirations.

"Youth Advantage is honored to be a recipient of Wells Fargo Community Funding Council’s 2013 grant funding," Suzanne Block, Youth Advantage’s Executive Director, said. "Realizing that there is a financial barrier for low income families to purchase or loan a musical instrument, the Council gave us a generous grant to purchase new and used instruments so our clients can receive musical instruction through their schools and our other musical partners. The grant also included funding for a new office computer and to fulfill a void in our athletic equipment."

About Youth Advantage
Youth Advantage’s mission is to provide access to extracurricular arts, athletics, and educational-enrichment experiences for children of financially-challenged parents or guardians who reside in District #834 boundaries. It does so by educating clients on opportunities and providing scholarships and the necessary equipment /instruments to participate in the activity of the child’s choice. Involvement in out-of-school time activities is crucial in the healthy development of children and Youth Advantage believes that all kids deserve the opportunity to find and pursue their passions. Youth Advantage relies solely on donations of athletic equipment and musical instruments as well as financial contributions to provide its services. To contact Youth Advantage, visit www.youthadvantage.org, call 651-342-1266, or mail P.O. Box 11, Stillwater, MN 55082.