Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (“Santander US” and “Santander”) today announced a $2.5 million, three-year commitment to its longstanding community partner City Year, an AmeriCorps network member supporting under-resourced public schools in the U.S. Santander US unveiled the multimillion-dollar commitment at an event it hosted featuring Rafael Nadal, professional tennis player and Santander ambassador, for 25 middle-school students from City Year supported schools in East Harlem and the South Bronx.
“We are proud to announce this new commitment today as we deepen our decade-long relationship with City Year, helping them carry out their mission of supporting students. Santander’s purpose is to help people and businesses prosper. This commitment to City Year is another demonstration in how we live out that purpose by supporting organizations that make a meaningful difference in the communities where we work each day to serve our five million customers.”
Tim Wennes
Santander US CEO
This commitment from Santander US includes $1 million of funding for City Year’s Whole School Whole Child program to provide academic tutoring, coaching, afterschool activities and other resources to students in New York, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia and Providence. Santander US—through the Santander Consumer USA Inc. Foundation—also is committing $1.5 million over three years to support City Year Dallas.
In addition, more than 1,000 City Year Corps members will take part in financial inclusion programming and will receive financial education and one-on-one coaching from Operation HOPE, a nonprofit provider of financial literacy programs, along with a $1,000 monetary award upon completion of programming. The program began in 2021 as a pilot in Dallas and will grow to 15 cities in 2022, with planned expansion to all 29 City Year cities in 2023.
The partnership between City Year New York and Santander helps ensure that systemically under-resourced students and schools across New York City have access to a supportive learning environment and education. The multi-year commitment means that we can continue to innovate to meet the needs of our communities. Thank you to the Santander leadership team, for your unwavering support and partnership to help develop leaders of tomorrow.
Quamid Francis
Executive Director, City Year New York
Santander has been a charitable contributor to City Year and has worked with the organization as a community partner for more than a decade, providing financial and programmatic resources and volunteering to advance the organization’s mission of supporting under-resourced public-school students in high-need communities across the U.S., including more than 200,000 students.
“City Year is thrilled to be partnering with Santander. Our mission has always been to help students and schools succeed, which creates a more just and equitable future for all of us. This partnership will ensure City Year AmeriCorps members are able to serve full time in schools to support student success while developing young leaders who can work across lines of difference. We look forward to partnering with Santander to continue to support the development and success of young people.”
Jim Balfanz
CEO, City Year Inc.
With today’s announcement, Santander’s contributions to City Year since 2011 will total nearly $5 million supporting the organization’s work in six cities, as well as volunteering by Santander employees and its senior leaders serving on local governing boards.
If you would like photos from today’s event, please contact Nancy Orlando at Santander US.