Junior Achievement Receives Donation from Wells Fargo

MILWAUKEE – Junior Achievement of Wisconsin received a $55,000 grant from Wells Fargo to teach financial literacy concepts to K-12 students across Wisconsin during the 2021-22 school year. The grant will support programming in the greater metropolitan areas of Appleton, Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Wausau. Junior Achievement programs are provided in Wisconsin schools by community and business volunteers who teach life-skills, such as managing a personal budget, understanding credit cards and a credit rating, creating a resume, preparing for a job interview, starting a new business, and developing essential soft skills such as communication, problem solving, and teamwork.

“Financial literacy and planning for a self-supporting career are essential survival skills. Without them, poor decisions have consequences that can last a lifetime,” said Michael Frohna, President of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. “This grant from Wells Fargo will help Junior Achievement prepare Wisconsin youth for the real world by showing them how to create financial stability and effectively manage it, to find or create jobs that make their communities more robust and apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace,” added Frohna.

In addition to the $55,000 grant, Wells Fargo also encourages its employees around Wisconsin to volunteer their time to participate in and support Junior Achievement programs. The following six Wells Fargo executives serve on local Junior Achievement Boards of Directors in Wisconsin; Tina Brunmeier, Sheboygan; Amber McPhail, Madison; Dan Paulson, Milwaukee; James Peterson, Wausau; Jim Quinlan, Milwaukee; and Garrett Reeves, Appleton. In the past 3 years, 38 Wells Fargo associates have volunteered to teach 71 Junior Achievement classes, reaching 1,461 K-12 Wisconsin students.

“Investing in financial literacy programs is pivotal to our future success, said Andrew Ruehl, Wells Fargo community relations senior consultant. “At Wells Fargo, we’re proud to support Junior Achievement and can’t wait to see how this work impacts our community.”