University of Oregon students give $5,000 to local child advocacy program

EUGENE, Ore. -- (March 13, 2008) -- Students enrolled in a University of Oregon philanthropy class presented a $5,000 check today to CASA of Lane County. CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, is a nonprofit agency that trains volunteers to advocate for abused or neglected children who have open cases with child protective services. Wells Fargo provided the funding.

The Freshman Seminar in American Philanthropy class teaches students the process donors use to distribute charitable funds to nonprofit agencies. This year 22 students evaluated requests from 45 Lane County nonprofit agencies before selecting CASA.

"We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the students and Wells Fargo," said Megan Friese, executive director, CASA of Lane County. "This grant will make it possible to train even more volunteers to advocate for abused, neglected and vulnerable children in our community."

Wells Fargo has been funding the philanthropy class since its inception in 2003 and has donated $30,000 to community organizations in Lane County in cooperation with the students.

"Our collaboration with the university continues to result in great decisions by the students. I wish to complement them for selecting such a worthy organization for these funds," said Wells Fargo executive Dave Frosaker of Eugene. "Wells Fargo has supported CASA chapters for many years. This organization provides a much valued service to children in need."

About Wells Fargo & Company
Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $575 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores and the Internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank N.A. is the only bank in the U.S. and one of only two banks worldwide to have the highest credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service, “Aaa,” and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, “AAA.”

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Media Relations Contact: Pauline Austin, 541-346-3129, paustin@uoregon.edu

Sponsor Contact: Tom Unger, 503-886-2051, Wells Fargo

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