Ameriprise Financial Gives Back to the Community with $13 Million and 81,000 Volunteer Hours in Support of Nonprofits

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP), together with its employees and advisors, gave $13 million and logged 81,000 hours volunteering at nonprofits across the country in 2016. In keeping with its longstanding philanthropic priorities, the firm directed much of its support to nonprofits aimed at helping individuals meet basic needs like food and shelter.

In addition, Ameriprise continued its seven-year national partnership with Feeding America^®, the country’s largest hunger-relief and food rescue organization. Through its partnership with Feeding America and other hunger-relief nonprofits nationwide, Ameriprise provided the equivalent of more than 8 million meals to families and individuals in 2016.

“At Ameriprise, our focus is on helping people confidently plan for the future, but we know it’s hard to feel confident when you’re not sure where your next meal is coming from or you’re worried you won’t be able to afford housing for your family,” said Brian Pietsch, head of community relations at Ameriprise. “We believe everyone should have access to these essentials. Together, we’re committed to lifting up those who need a hand and building more healthy and vibrant communities.”

As a testament to the firm’s commitment to giving back, Ameriprise was honored with the 2016 Corporate Philanthropy Award by the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. The award recognizes the company’s community impact, contributions and support for employees and financial advisors who are dedicated to making a difference.

Volunteerism reaches new heights
Ameriprise employees and advisors demonstrated their steadfast commitment to volunteerism by dedicating 81,000 hours of their time working at nonprofits nationwide. The highlight of this work took place on the company’s National Days of Service, which brought together 14,000 Ameriprise volunteers at 750 events across the country to prepare more than 1.5 million meals for families and individuals struggling with hunger. In 2016, Ameriprise, in partnership with Feeding America, received the Silver Cause Marketing Halo Award in the “Best Employee Engagement” category for its National Days of Service efforts.

Employees and advisors give generously
More than 75 percent of Ameriprise employees and advisors pledged support to nonprofits of their choice and had their donations matched by Ameriprise during the firm’s 2016 annual giving campaign. Engagement in the campaign significantly surpassed the national participation average of 32 percent at companies with workplace giving campaigns.¹

Ameriprise grant program supports nonprofits nationwide
In 2016, Ameriprise awarded 181 grants to nonprofits that support its three strategic philanthropic priorities – meeting basic needs, supporting community vitality and volunteer-driven causes. Highlights of recent grants include:

• Jeremiah Program, Minneapolis, MN
  Jeremiah Program works with determined single mothers and their children to help them achieve self-sufficiency. Their unique and nationally recognized two-generational programming for low-income single mothers and their children moves them beyond poverty and into a life of economic independence through career education, safe and affordable housing, quality early childhood education and life skills and empowerment classes.

• Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
  Through Carnegie Hall’s Musical Connections program, participants often living in challenging circumstances, collaborate with professional artists and with each other to create, perform and produce original music and art. Participants have an opportunity for self-expression, and to exercise agency in their daily lives. The program provides a platform to create empathy, inform policy, strengthen communities and bolster the systems that support people in public hospitals, homeless shelters, and across the justice system.

• People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), Los Angeles, CA
  PATH’s mission is to end homelessness for individuals, families and communities. They do this by building affordable housing and providing supportive services throughout California. In the past four years, PATH has helped over 6,500 people move off the streets and into permanent homes.

Ameriprise funds grants to local nonprofits twice annually—the next deadline is May 15 and guidelines are available on our website.

About Ameriprise Financial Community Relations
Ameriprise Financial is dedicated to utilizing the firm’s resources and talents to improve the lives of individuals and build strong communities. Through grantmaking, volunteerism and employee and advisor gift matching programs, the company supports a diverse group of nearly 6,500 nonprofits across the country. By targeting our grantmaking, we are able to make the most of our resources and engage our people to make a collective impact with greater benefit for communities.

About Ameriprise Financial
At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for more than 120 years. With a nationwide network of 10,000 financial advisors and extensive asset management, advisory and insurance capabilities, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors’ financial needs. For more information, visit ameriprise.com.

¹ Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy • 2016 Giving in Number Edition – Median percentage of employees participating in workplace giving campaigns in 2015: 32%), www.corporatephilanthropy.org

© 2017 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

Complete list of grant recipients from the second Ameriprise Financial grant cycle of 2016

Meeting basic needs – 65 grants:
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, Augsburg College, Breaking Ground HDFC, Bridging, CAMBA, Inc. Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis, Chapman Partnership, Community Development Corporation of Utah, Community Emergency Service, Inc., Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio, Cornerstone Advocacy Service (Cornerstone), Courage Kenny Foundation on behalf of Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, Covenant House Florida, Inc., Crossroads Rhode Island, Dress for Success Worldwide, Father Bill's & MainSpring, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, Goodwill of Southern Nevada, Goodwill-Easter Seals MN, Harvesters - The Community Food Network, Hawaii Foodbank, Henry Street Settlement, HIRED’ House of Hope CDC, Housing Crisis Center, Houston Food Bank, Jeremiah Program, L.A. Kitchen, LA Family Housing, Lifeworks Services Inc., Living Classrooms Foundation, Lonoke County Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect Inc., Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Maryland New Directions, Meals on Wheels Central Texas (Meals on Wheels and More), Mercer Street Friends Center, Metro Meals on Wheels, Inc., Metro Meals on Wheels, Inc., Montgomery Area Food Bank, Inc., Open Arms of Minnesota, Oregon Food Bank, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), Pine Street Inn, Project for Pride in Living Inc. (PPL), Rhode Island Community Food Bank, River Bend Foodbank, Sarah's Circle, SHELTER, Inc., Sojourner, Solid Ground, St. Louis Area Foodbank, Store To Door, The Arc Greater Twin Cities, The Bridge for Youth, The Campus Kitchens Project, The Food Bank for Westchester, The Food Group Minnesota, Inc., THREE SQUARE, Tubman, Volunteers of America- Minnesota, Wellsprings Village, Inc., YMCA of Greater Boston, International Learning Center, YouthLink, YWCA of Minneapolis

Supporting community vitality – 28 grants:
American Red Cross, Carnegie Hall Society Inc., Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra Association, Inc., Orchestra Iowa, Center on Halsted, Charities Review Council of Minnesota, Inc., Community Reinvestment Fund USA, Como Friends, Dallas Museum of Art, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, GiveMN, Latino Economic Development Center, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, MacPhail Center for Music, MAP for Nonprofits, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Nexus Community Partners, Northside Achievement Zone, Portland Art Museum, Prospera Community Development, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Sphinx Organization, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Minnesota Opera, The Phoenix Symphony, Theater Latté Da, Twin Cities Public Television, Wexner Center for the Arts - The Ohio State University

Volunteer-driven causes – 4 grants:
Memorial Blood Centers, a Division of Innovative Blood Resources, SIFMA Foundation for Investor Education, Step Up, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity