Photo Info: From left: Board Members Janice Tangradi, Maureen Rush (President), Craig Kocak, and Darrel German (Wells Fargo).

PHILADELPHIA, PA, January 20, 2015 – Wells Fargo in Philadelphia today announced it is presenting $5,000 to the nonprofit Philadelphia Police Foundation to be used to fund the Philadelphia Police Department’s anti-gang youth initiative G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training), which is taught by police officers and focused on the city’s middle school students.

Now in its 11th year, the police department’s G.R.E.A.T. program is part of an overall, year-round delinquency prevention curriculum that makes youngsters aware of all aspects of gangs and the positive alternatives to participating in neighborhood gang activities.

“Wells Fargo is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life for children in the Philadelphia region,” said Darrel German, Wells Fargo Senior Vice President and a board member of the Philadelphia Police Foundation. “The G.R.E.A.T. program crates an extremely positive interaction between Philadelphia police officers and youngsters at a very formative age. We feel this program not only establishes a good police-community bond, but also makes children aware of the consequences that can result in their future lives through gang activities.”

“The Philadelphia Police Foundation is grateful to Wells Fargo for their generous contribution,” said Maureen Rush, Foundation Board President and Vice President for Public Safety for Superintendent of Police at the University of Pennsylvania. “It is extremely important in today’s social environment that police officers interact with young people in a meaningful and constructive manner. The G.R.E.A.T. program meets this very important challenge.”

Coordinated by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Community Relations Division, the G.R.E.A.T. program’s middle school program is augmented by an elementary school component that teaches youngsters the importance of communications and staying calm in confrontational situations. There is also a summer program. The overall delinquency prevention curriculum is taught by specially-trained police officers.

The Philadelphia Police Foundation has provided almost $500,000 to the Philadelphia Police Department for strategic, non-budgeted programs, training and equipment in the past two years.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.6 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 8,700 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2014 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 Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.

About Philadelphia Police Foundation

The Philadelphia Police Foundation (www.phillypolicefoundation.org) was established in 1999 by civic and corporate leaders in the Philadelphia region as “A Force Behind the Shield.” The Foundation’s primary focus is to assist the officers of the Philadelphia Police Department by funding urgently needed special programs, equipment and community endeavors not provided in the City of Philadelphia’s annual budget.