Gap Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Levi Strauss & Co., Visa Inc., and Wells Fargo and Co.
Form Downtown Volunteer Coalition to Host Cross-company Volunteer Events
Supporting Revitalization of Downtown San Francisco
San Francisco, May 2, 2024 -- Gap Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Levi Strauss & Co., Visa Inc. and Wells Fargo and Co. – all companies that are committed to San Francisco – are proud to announce the formation of the Downtown Volunteer Coalition, with the support of HandsOn Bay Area.
The Downtown Volunteer Coalition will collaborate on cross-company volunteer events across downtown San Francisco to support cleaner and more vibrant streets, starting today with its first volunteer effort. Kicking off with remarks from company leaders at 1:00 pm in Embarcadero Plaza, more than 200 volunteers from the five companies will take part in twelve park beautification activities and neighborhood trash pickup projects across downtown and culminate with a group celebration at SF’s inaugural “Downtown First Thursdays” street festival.
In partnership with Hands On Bay Area, San Francisco Department of Public Works, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, and Refuse Refuse San Francisco, the volunteers will participate in activities like weeding, playground cleanup, pathway clearing, planter bed improvement, trash collection, and more. The park beautification projects will take place at the Rincon Hill Dog Park and Sue Bierman Park, and the neighborhood trash pickup projects will include the neighborhoods around the Embarcadero Plaza.
Going forward, the Downtown Volunteer Coalition will continue to develop quarterly cross-company volunteer events centered around downtown and surrounding neighborhoods to meet the needs of local nonprofit partners and local businesses.
The five founding companies of the Downtown Volunteer Coalition have long standing legacies, proud traditions and deep community ties to San Francisco that bridge generations. Together, these companies believe deeply in all that the city has to offer, that its best days are ahead, and that their employees want to be part of revitalizing downtown.
Other companies in San Francisco are encouraged to join the effort by visiting www.handsonbayarea.org/downtown-volunteer-coalition.
About Downtown Volunteer Coalition
The mission of the Downtown Volunteer Coalition is to drive corporate volunteerism and engagement to support revitalization in San Francisco via partnerships with community-based organizations. Together, our companies and employees want to support San Francisco, helping to make it feel like a vibrant place for companies to operate and for employees to spend time in and around their offices. Additionally, we hope to generate support for the arts, culture and local small businesses, empowering people to come back into the city.
Quotes from Member Companies:
"Don and Doris Fisher opened our first store here in San Francisco to bridge the generation gap with clothing and experiences that spoke to a new idealism and imagined a better future,” said Amy Thompson, Chief People Officer at Gap Inc. “Fifty-five years later, we are still proudly bridging the gaps in our hometown by supporting activations like the Downtown Volunteer Coalition and First Thursdays that celebrate what we love about this city – engaged communities, supportive businesses, and a thriving culture of arts and music."
“JPMorgan Chase is proud of our history and long-standing commitments to San Francisco and the entire Bay Area. Healthy communities are integral to our business, and showing up as a community partner is in our firm’s DNA, so we're very excited to join forces with our corporate peers to help write the city's next chapter that strengthens its community and economy,” said Dan Schrauth, Managing Director, Wealth Advisor at J.P. Morgan Private Bank and Chair of JPMorgan Chase’s Bay Area Market Leadership Team. “We’re proud that our employees are teaming up and volunteering to support our community and lift up our shared values."
“Levi Strauss & Co. has called San Francisco our home since we were founded here more than 170 years ago. Starting with Levi Strauss himself, our employees have volunteered countless hours across the city over the decades. The Downtown Volunteer Coalition is an opportunity, alongside other iconic companies, to show up once again for our hometown,” said Kelly McGinnis, Levi Strauss & Co. Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. “As businesses, we have a vital role to play in creating the community we all want to call home. We hope other companies will join us in this effort, and subsequently, deepen our collective impact.”
“Visa has been part of the San Francisco community for over 60 years, and our commitment to the city is united with Visa’s purpose of uplifting everyone, everywhere.” said Worku Gachou, Head of North America Inclusive Impact & Sustainability, Visa. “We are proud to join our neighboring businesses to introduce the Downtown Volunteer Coalition to help uplift the vibrant and resilient community that makes San Francisco an epicenter for innovation.”
“Wells Fargo has been serving San Francisco and its local businesses and community since 1852. We are proud of our tradition of volunteerism and are excited to work with others on this initiative to help revitalize San Francisco’s downtown,” said Darlene Goins, head of Philanthropy and Community Impact at Wells Fargo."
About Member Companies
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc., a house of iconic brands, is the largest specialty apparel company in America. Its Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands offer clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products for men, women and children. Since 1969, Gap Inc. has created products and experiences that shape culture, while doing right by employees, communities and the planet. Gap Inc. products are available worldwide through company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Fiscal year 2023 net sales were $14.9 billion. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.
About JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorgan Chase had $4.1 trillion in assets and $337 billion in stockholders’ equity as of March 31, 2024. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women, and children under the Levi's®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™, Denizen® and Beyond Yoga® brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,200 brand-dedicated stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported 2023 net revenues were $6.2 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com, and for financial news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com.
About Visa Inc.
Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
About Wells Fargo and Co.
Wells Fargo & Company is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 47 on Fortune’s 2023 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Press Contacts
Gap Inc. - Jason Allen (jason_allen@gap.com)
JPMorgan Chase & Co. - Peter Kelley (peter.kelley@jpmchase.com)
Levi Strauss & Co. - Phil Zabriskie (pzabriskie@levi.com)
Visa - Brittany Furia (brittany.furia@visa.com)
Wells Fargo – Edith Robles (edith.r.robles@wellsfargo.com)