On Friday, Westlake Financial highlighted one of its latest philanthropy endeavors.
The finance company said it partnered with Ronald McDonald’s 2022 Walk for Kids and donated $72,000, one of the largest donations in southern California thus far. Westlake indicated the Walk for Kids is motivated to create a community of hope and healing for critically ill children and their loved ones.
“Westlake understands the importance of strength in a community and the need for support among families of critically ill individuals,” Westlake Technology Holdings group president Ian Anderson said in a news release.
“I am proud to work alongside caring employees who, during difficult times, still want to contribute and give back to those around them,” Anderson continued.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California started Walk for Kids to support families of children facing significant health issues. This walk has brought healing and joy to families in need since 2010 and hopes to reach more families in the years to come.
“Our health is one of our most precious assets, a healthy body is like a full house of love,” Westlake Financial vice president of human resources Tonia Douglas said. “Our goal is to support our community by contributing to their health and wellbeing now and in the years to come.”
Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, AutoPayPlus recapped the tribute one of its employees has done during the past year to honor deceased members of the military.
A few years ago, Jedd Price learned that a penny left on a soldier’s gravestone means someone visited them; a custom that dates back to the Roman Empire.
The member support specialist for AutoPayPlus began honoring that tradition last year, placing a penny on the graves of 1,000 soldiers for Memorial Day, and his Pennies for Veterans project was born.
Price was inspired by his two grandfathers, great-grandfather and several other family members who served in the military.
“I was home for a couple months in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. It was around Memorial Day, and I noticed my grandpa’s grave was very dirty, so I cleaned it up to give him back an honorable tombstone showing his record of service,” Price said in a news release. “Then, I remembered the whole thing with the coins and placing them on the grave of a military veteran meant something.”
Back in Orlando, Fla., where AutoPayPlus is headquartered, Price set a goal of honoring 100,000 veterans and reached out to his coworkers for financial support in the form of pennies. When AutoPayPlus chief executive officer Robert Steenbergh learned about the project, he challenged his staff to get on board.
“We need pennies — lots and lots of pennies. Apparently, they’re harder to come by than any of us, except perhaps Jedd, could imagine,” said Steenbergh, who sweetened the pot by offering to personally pay $500 to whoever brought in the most pennies.
The staff donated 41,000 pennies, according to the news release.
Since then, Price has visited cemeteries in seven states from Florida to Illinois, averaging 2,700 graves per weekend. He makes it a point to visit the states’ National Cemeteries which allow him to find the most veterans’ tombstones.
Coming full circle, Price completed his goal in January by placing his 100,000th penny on the grave of his grandfather, Basil D. Price, a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II.
Price’s next goal is to launch a YouTube channel focused on stories of the veterans he’s honored and conversations with living veterans about their time in the military. And he’ll also continue to lay pennies, but not at nearly the same volume.
“It’s fitting that Jedd is a customer care agent,” Steenbergh added. “I’m so impressed and humbled by his endeavor. Thank you, Jedd, for reminding us in a very busy world what’s actually important.”
Applications for a college-student competition cited by Fast Company as a reason Ally Financial ranked sixth on its 2021 list of Best Workplaces for Innovators — which recognizes companies that foster creative cultures — recently got in motion.
Ally Financial and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the largest organization exclusively representing the Black College community, have opened registration for the fourth annual Moguls in the Making pitch competition, which offers 60 students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) the opportunity to learn vital business skills, while competing for valuable scholarships and paid internships.
During the Moguls in the Making competition, which will take place Sept. 15-18, Ally explained students will be grouped into teams of four from 15 HBCUs and asked to develop and pitch business ideas that promote economic mobility in Charlotte, N.C. The teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges from the business community with each member of the top three winning teams earning scholarships for $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively as well as guaranteed paid internship offers from Ally, a laptop and other prizes.
Ally said through a news release that all students from each of the 12 other teams will earn $1,000 scholarships for their participation in the rigorous challenge.
Executives recapped that Moguls in the Making (MITM) was developed in 2019 to provide HBCU students with career-launching business experience, networking access to executives and internships and scholarships, while also giving Ally a new path for reaching diverse talent.
Since MITM launched three years ago, Ally has hired 36 of the participants as interns and 12 as full-time employees, working on teams across the company, from IT and marketing to product design and development. The finance company has awarded $356,000 in scholarships through the program since 2019.
“We’re looking forward to another year of dynamic energy and creativity from the HBCU students who give their all to develop innovative and viable business ideas that can have incredible impact on communities,” said Natalie Brown, director of corporate citizenship at Ally. “Moguls in the Making attracts students who are eager to grow and want to be future corporate leaders and top entrepreneurs.”
Last year’s winning idea from the North Carolina A&T team focused on a new way to generate power locally to lower electric bills for residents in low income neighborhoods.
Ally said other winning ideas involved using technology to improve high school graduation rates, help people get jobs in skilled trades and provide health care for the uninsured.
Executives pointed out that TMCF is a “natural” fit for Ally’s initiatives, given to its history of success in supporting nearly 300,000 students who attend HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Since its founding in 1987, TMCF has awarded more than $300 million in scholarships and boasts a 90% graduation rate for students in its programs.
“We are proud of our relationship with Ally and fully support the next generation of leaders from HBCUs, institutions that play a critical role in ensuring young people of color are not left behind,” TMCF chief programs officer Eric Hart said. “Moguls in the Making provides additional opportunities for students of color which will ultimately lead to a more diverse workforce, both at Ally and beyond.”
For the last two years, the program has been virtual because of the pandemic, but organizers are planning to hold the competition in person this fall. Ally said travel expenses to Charlotte will be covered for all students selected for the program.
Leading up to the competition weekend, Ally mentioned students will participate in a series of learning sessions to prepare them for the program and help them bond with other students from their teams.
To participate in the Moguls program, Ally said students must be current, full-time rising sophomores, juniors or seniors in good standing at an HBCU or PBI and must have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. (Applicants with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better must be recommended by department chair or Dean.) Applications will be accepted through May 15.
To apply or get more details, go to https://www.ally.com/go/moguls/ or https://www.tmcf.org/students-alumni/entrepreneurship/moguls-in-the-making/.
Santander Consumer USA is looking to be a financial resource not just in vehicle deliveries.
Coinciding with the Martin Luther King Holiday, SCUSA announced on Monday that it is partnering with technology and community nonprofit Comp-U-Dopt to help “bridge the digital divide” in several cities in the U.S.
Funded by a $35 million multi-year grant from the Santander Consumer USA Foundation, the company and Comp-U-Dopt will provide free high-speed Internet connectivity, computers, training and support to eligible low-income residents who enroll in a lottery for the program in select cities.
SCUSA highlighted the program will begin with a $7 million investment in Dallas and expand during the next two years. The company explained the initiative is aimed at providing greater financial empowerment and overall well-being to communities who face challenges obtaining digital connectivity.
In Dallas, SCUCA and Comp-U-Dopt said they will target connectivity, laptops and digital skill-building resources to student households below 200 percent of the federal poverty level in the southern sector of the city, and deliver free:
— Reliable high-speed Internet for up to 10,000 student households
— Warrantied computers for student households (including bilingual help desk support)
— Education and training to boost student and caregiver digital skills
SCUSA pointed out many Dallas households still confront gaps in high-speed Internet access due to factors such as insufficient infrastructure, lack of affordability, and end user knowledge and skill needs.
According to a June 2021 Pew Research Institute study, more than 40% of households with lower incomes do not have reliable high-speed Internet or a personal computer.
The study also pointed out that accessing distance learning, telehealth, paying bills online, applying for jobs and reaching other support services requires that communities continue to invest in initiatives that close the digital divide sustainably.
“Today it is difficult, if not impossible, to find a job, complete schoolwork and connect with vital services without a computer or reliable Internet,” Santander Consumer USA chief executive officer Mahesh Aditya said in a news release. “Our program with Comp-U-Dopt looks to level the playing field, providing families and students with critical computer and digital resources to help them prosper and thrive.
“The digital divide is a solvable problem, and it is critical that we continue to invest in initiatives that provide students and families the tools they need to access additional resources,” Aditya continued.
Dallas mayor Eric Johnson cheered SCUSA’s decisions.
“As we build for our city’s future, we must work with our private and nonprofit partners to connect our neighborhoods with reliable high-speed Internet,” Johnson said in the news release. “By expanding Internet service in our historically underserved communities, we can improve educational outcomes, enhance workforce readiness, and increase access to critical services.
“We are grateful to Santander Consumer for recognizing the importance of this issue and for helping to make Dallas an even better place to live and work,” Johnson added.
The company pointed out that the Santander Consumer Foundation awarded the $35 million grant to national non-profit Comp-U-Dopt based on its inclusive mission and successful track record in underserved communities.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Santander Consumer, partner agencies, and local community members to achieve digital equity and advance a solution that provides a foundation for economic mobility and strengthens our community,” Comp-U-Dopt CEO Megan Steckly said.
Jennifer Sanders is executive director of the Dallas Innovation Alliance
“While the pandemic put a glaring spotlight on the digital divide, there are organizations whose vision for connecting communities to opportunity preceded 2020, and Santander Consumer USA is a prime example of that commitment,” Sanders said in the news release. “Since 2018 they have invested in digital access, which has provided critical support to the DIA Mobile Learning Lab.
“Through this program alone, we have reached thousands of students and members of the community in our city’s least connected neighborhoods because of Santander’s forward-thinking investment in our mission to create innovative solutions to complex challenges,” Sanders continued.
Mita Havlick is executive director of the Dallas Education Foundation, the non-profit philanthropic partner of the Dallas Independent School District.
“Santander Consumer has been a key supporter in our virtual classroom initiative since the start of the pandemic,” Havlick said in the news release. “This program with Comp-U-Dopt complements the work that we are doing and will be transformational for thousands of students and families.”
You could say AUL Corp. is in a giving mood.
AUL president and chief executive officer Jimmy Atkinson announced on Friday that the F&I provider just surpassed $1 million in total charitable contributions since 2012.
This year, AUL said it has donated more than $150,000, as the company has doubled its corporate giving totals since 2019 when the firm eclipsed $500,000.
“Ever since our founding by Luis Nieves in 1990, giving back to the community has been one of AUL Corp’s core missions,” Atkinson said in a news release. “As we’ve grown, we’ve looked for new and more impactful ways to give back to the communities in which we live and work.
“And while the pandemic and work from home mandates may have put our employee-led charitable giving committee on pause, the firm continues to increase its contributions and find new partners and causes to support,” he continued.
“Through our national network of lender, dealer, and agent partners, we have extended our giving to causes local, regional and national in scope,” Atkinson added.
Among AUL’s 2021 contributions was a $20,000 donation to Giving Hope in New Orleans, a non-profit focused on feeding, clothing, housing, and providing fellowship to those in need, in both the local New Orleans community, and around the world.
“The generosity of companies such as AUL allows us to continue our mission of helping those most in need,” said Alphonse Smith, executive director of Giving Hope in New Orleans, in the news release.
AUL also donated $10,000 to Providence Queen of the Valley Foundation in its hometown of Napa, Calif., where funds will be utilized to help support the expansion of the hospital’s emergency services.
“We are immensely grateful for the generous support from AUL over the years, especially this year as we continue to care for patients and our community members during the pandemic,” Providence Queen of the Valley Foundation CEO Elaine John said in the news release. “The Queen’s Emergency Department serves 30,000 patients or more annually. Generous companies like AUL help to ensure that all have access to the best care close to home — even during the toughest of times.”
AUL mentioned that it is also a regular contributor to many other local Napa charities, including Hands Across the Valley, Share the Care, CASA, Boys and Girls Club, 4H and Molly’s Angels
This week, TCN made what it called a “substantial donation” to the Utah Food Bank on behalf of their clients that use its cloud-based call center technology for contact centers and collection agencies.
Since COVID-19 has had a significant impact, TCN said it felt the need to help this holiday season by donating funds to Utah Food Bank that would have otherwise been used to provide gifts to its clients. The funds will help to provide more than 40,000 meals.
Founded in 1904, Utah Food Bank works at its mission of fighting hunger statewide. Last year, Utah Food Bank distributed 44.1 million meals via a statewide network of 203 partner agencies.
In addition to being one of only a handful of food banks that distributes food free-of-charge to partner agencies, Utah Food Bank also offers several direct service programs to help the most vulnerable populations — children and seniors.
“We are thrilled to work with an organization like Utah Food Bank as well as many others,” TCN chief executive officer and co-founder Terrel Bird said in a news release. “They are a fearless and dedicated organization committed to ending hunger.”
Part of PossibleNOW’s 20-year anniversary celebration includes a donation to a well-known charity aimed helping people with little or nothing to eat.
The provider of customer insights, enterprise consent and preference management solutions, and direct marketing compliance, announced it agreed to a $20,000 donation to Feeding America. PossibleNOW said its donation will aid in Feeding America’s hunger relief program that spans across the country.
Feeding America is one the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Thanks to donations and support from businesses, government organizations and individuals alike, the Feeding America network of food banks, pantries and meal programs serve virtually every community in the United States — 40 million people, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors.
Supporting communities and giving back has been a long-standing charitable mission for PossibleNOW throughout 20 years in business. The company highlighted that it promotes charitable giving by matching employee contributions to worthy organizations that help people in need.
PossibleNOW employees stepped up and personally contributed $6,000 for a $26,000 total to Feeding America’s hunger relief fund.
The company also provides all employees with paid time off to serve their local community on a continuous basis.
“We are so delighted to celebrate our 20th year in business, working alongside some of the largest and most recognizable global brands in the world,” PossibleNOW chief executive officer Scott Frey said in a news release.
“We began by helping companies execute successful marketing campaigns while maintaining compliance with marketing regulations such as Do Not Call and Do Not Email,” Frey continued. “We have now evolved to empowering customers to have a voice in the communications they receive, and we enable businesses to respond with valuable and relevant customer experiences so that relationships are enriched.
“We are privileged to serve our loyal customers and to donate to the Feeding America program which serves communities nationwide,” he went on to say.
The Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals (AFIP) recently handed out its Jakob Murray Lange Memorial Scholarship.
This year’s recipient honored during the annual Northwood University Dealer Education Awards breakfast at NADA Show 2020 in Las Vegas was Katie DeMarse, a Northwood University senior majoring in automotive marketing and management.
The annual scholarship recognizes a Northwood student for exemplary work during an internship the previous summer. DeMarse spent last summer working on a digital marketing project for an automotive solution startup company in Virginia. She had the opportunity to participate in ground floor analysis and strategic planning.
Donna Bavely, a software architect who sponsored DeMarse’s internship, had nothing but praise for her intern. In a note to DeMarse that Bavely posted on LinkedIn, she describes DeMarse as “a brilliant, ambitious young lady … the definition of ‘the perfect employee’ (let alone intern),” and “a natural born leader.”
DeMarse’s first two internships were with Northtown Automotive Companies and Ballweg Automotive. She served as the Asian Chairwoman for the 2019 Northwood University International Auto Show and recently moderated a panel discussion about the future of mobility at the Net Impact Conference.
DeMarse hails from Escanaba, Mich., a small town in the upper peninsula of Michigan. She said in a news release that she “loves Northwood for the opportunities it provides, such as internships and private donor scholarships.”
DeMarse also received the Barbara Cox Memorial Scholarship in 2018.
With her May graduation fast approaching, DeMarse is fielding multiple job offers. However, she’s planning on attending Northwood’s Spring Career Fair before she makes a decision.
This is the seventh year AFIP has awarded the scholarship, which honors an AFIP staff member, Jakob Murray Lange, who died in a car accident in 2013. A plaque recognizing the scholarship recipients is on display in the NADA building on the Northwood University campus.
In addition, DeMarse will receive a crystalline obelisk in recognition of her achievement.
“Northwood University’s automotive marketing and management graduates leave with a unique blend of academic knowledge and practical skills,” AFIP executive director Dave Robertson said. “They are actively sought by automobile industry employers and possess a sense of competitive camaraderie normally exhibited by graduates of Ivy League schools.
“As AFIP’s 2020 Jakob Murray Lange Memorial Scholarship recipient, Ms. DeMarse is the personification of the best Northwood has to offer,” Robertson added.
The AFIP scholarship recipient is selected each year by a Northwood automotive marketing and management department committee.
“Internships have been instrumental in preparing our students for meaningful employment for many years,” department chair Elgie Bright said. “Actual dealership experience is invaluable to student success as they move from the classroom to the showroom. The AFIP scholarship supports students in their career paths and boosts interest in internship opportunities.”
For more information about Northwood University’s automotive marketing and management program, visit www.northwood.edu. For more information about AFIP, visit www.afip.com.
Both Toyota Financial Services and Wells Fargo put initiatives in place to help their customers affected by the recent series of wildfires throughout California, as well as the tornadoes that struck northern Texas last month.
The Toyota captive announced in a news release that it is offering payment relief options through a broad outreach that includes any Toyota Financial Services (TFS) or Lexus Financial Services (LFS) customer in the designated disaster areas.
In addition, to assist with recovery efforts for the tornadoes in Texas, Toyota is donating $100,000 to Dallas Independent School District (DISD). To assist with the wildfires in California, Toyota is giving $50,000 to American Red Cross and $50,000 to California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund.
“Toyota Financial Services cares about the safety and well-being of its customers and wants to help those impacted by these natural disasters,” company officials said.
“Impacted lease and finance customers residing in the devastated areas may be eligible to take advantage of several payment relief options, some of which include:
— Extensions and lease deferred payments
— Redirecting billing statements
— Arranging phone or online payments
Toyota Financial Services said it will proactively attempt to contact customers via email or telephone in the affected areas to assess their needs and inform customers of the options available to them.
“We extend our heartfelt thoughts to those affected by these devastating disasters,” company officials said.
Wells Fargo disaster assistance
Meanwhile over at Wells Fargo, the bank recently announced a $400,000 donation from the Wells Fargo Foundation to aid in the state’s relief efforts as well as accommodations for affected customers, team members and more stemming from recent wildfires that have had a devastating effect on California and its residents.
Following this initial response, the company said it will assess the need for additional actions, according to a news release.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of California who are impacted by wildfires across the state,” said Brandee McHale, head of the Wells Fargo Foundation. “Wells Fargo is committed to supporting relief efforts for those who are being displaced or who have lost homes, as well as for those who are vigilantly trying to save people, homes and land.”
The $400,000 total donation will be split between local nonprofits in northern California and southern California. Specifically, $200,000 will go to the American Red Cross to help people in the state affected by the California wildfires.
In addition, $150,000 will go to local organizations in support of relief efforts for the Kincade Wildfire, and $50,000 will go to local organizations responding to wildfires in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Customers who wish to contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts may do so by making donations through Wells Fargo ATMs in California through Nov. 12, or donate with Zelle in Wells Fargo Online or Wells Fargo Mobile.
The bank explained gifts to disaster relief can enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. To donate money, go to the Wells Fargo mobile banking application, select “Send Money with Zelle.” Enter “American Red Cross” as the recipient, and type the e-mail address, donations@redcross.org, in the contact field. Review the “First-Time Recipient” pop-up to ensure that the “Red Cross” is the recipient you’ve set up before sending.
For more information, go to www.wellsfargo.com/zelledonation. Customers also can redeem available Go Far Rewards for donations to American Red Cross relief efforts through Nov. 13.
In addition, the bank is proactively reversing Wells Fargo fees for impacted customers using non-Wells Fargo ATMs.
Furthermore, Wells Fargo has activated assistance for team members in the affected states via its WE Care Fund, which provides grants to Wells Fargo team members who face a catastrophic disaster or financial hardship resulting from an event beyond their control. This program is available to those affected by the California wildfires and is intended to help team members get back on their feet with basic necessities; in particular, it is intended to assist those team members who do not have other resources to help themselves.
The philanthropic efforts by AUL Corp. recently generated a new milestone.
The F&I product provider announced earlier this week that its employee-run charitable giving committee has just surpassed $500,000 in contributions since 2012.
The committee comprised of non-management employees was established in 2012 to foster and enhance the firm’s connections with the local community. Yet, the impact to the members of the committee and the community has been far more meaningful than originally anticipated, according to AUL president and chief executive officer Jimmy Atkinson.
“Equally important to the contributions and the much-needed benefits, are the deep connections the employee-led committee has established and the many relationships they have fostered within the community,” Atkinson said in a news release.
Challenged to research and identify local, regional, and national organizations across the spectrum of need, committee members recommend, approve and facilitate the firm’s philanthropy program. This allows employees to see and feel a real difference being made in their community and beyond.
“Being appointed a part of the charitable giving committee has been game-changer for me,” said Amy Hubert, a founding member of the committee. “I never imagined I could be so vested in or so proud to work for a company. AUL truly cares for us and entrusts us with a deeply meaningful responsibility.”
The impact of these contributions has been felt on both sides of the relationship.
According to Yvonne Baginski, director of Share the Care Napa Valley, “The AUL contribution to Share the Care has made life better for older adults who are alone, isolated, ill and frail in Napa County. A small local nonprofit, Share the Care relies only on individual donations to continue caring for the elderly in our community. AUL has made an enormous difference in the viability of our organization and ability to help others.”
Napa’s Hands Across the Valley also has benefitted from AUL.
“We are so grateful for the generous support from AUL over the past six years,” said George Altamura, founder and board president of Napa’s Hands Across the Valley. “Generous companies like AUL send a message that our community cares about serving our most vulnerable members.
“There’s a reason why AUL is consistently named 'one of the best places to work' by the North Bay Business Journal. Their company culture is one of inclusion and community support, and we are proud to have them on board to help feed the hungry in Napa County,” Altamura added.
Atkinson made one more point about the company’s charitable endeavors.
“Since AUL’s founding in 1990, our people have always been our most important asset, and the activities of our charity committee have allowed us to share that philosophy with our community,” he said.
