AIDS Action receives $50,000 from Wainwright

Wainwright Bank CEO Robert Glassman received a Distinguished Social Entrepreneurial Leadership Award from the Grand Circle Corporation and the Lewis Family Foundation at the Corporate Philanthropy Summit Sept. 6, and as part of that award Wainwright Bank received $100,000 to be split evenly between a charity of the bank's choice and a new social initiative. Wainwright chose to award $50,000 from the prize to AIDS Action Committee (AAC). Steven F. Young, Wainwright's senior vice president for consumer banking, said that they did so both to build on the bank's longstanding partnership with AAC and to return the favor to AAC for nominating Wainwright for the leadership award.

"Not withstanding the fact that Wainright has had a partnership with AIDS Action since 1993 and of course has been an important relationship to us, they also are the nonprofit that nominated us for the award," said Young. He said each organization in the running for the leadership award needed to have been nominated by a non-profit organization.

AAC Executive Director Rebecca Haag praised Glassman for his longstanding commitment to supporting organizations working to end the AIDS epidemic. She said in addition to serving as AAC's bank, Wainwright has supported many of AAC's initiatives over the years, most recently partnering with them to help fund the construction of Joelyn's Family Home, a substance abuse treatment program for women with children owned by Victory Programs.

"The unique thing about Bob I find that is so compelling is that from the beginning he has understood the link between social justice and HIV/AIDS," said Haag.

In about two weeks, AIDS Action and Wainwright executives will meet to discuss how best to allocate the $50,000 within AIDS Action's programming. Haag said she expects the donation will be split between prevention and public policy work, and Young said Wainwright will allow AAC to determine how the funding can best be used.

"We want to hear about some of the programs they're working on now, and in the end we'll be most flexible to what their needs are," said Young.