BBVA Compass Commits $300,000 To Support The Elton John Aids Foundation's Programmatic Work In The Southern U.S.

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Oct 03, 2016, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- BBVA Compass has awarded $300,000 to the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), a global leader in the fight to end AIDS, in the bank's largest show of support for a foundation targeting HIV. The funds will support the foundation's ongoing work in the Southern U.S.

"We are all proudly grateful to have BBVA Compass join us as a both a new major corporate supporter as well as a new event sponsor," said EJAF Chairman David Furnish. "It is so important for us to secure new institutional partnerships like this as we continue our efforts to increase the level of EJAF's grant making every year."

BBVA Compass' support for the Elton John AIDS Foundation comes in the form of a grant from the BBVA Compass Foundation and a sponsorship package. It is part of the bank's commitment to banking on a brighter future and improving the communities it calls home. EJAF's focus on wellness, human rights, improved quality of life, and resilient community organizations makes the Foundation's grant priorities an excellent match with BBVA Compass' emphasis on building stronger communities.

"EJAF is a best-in-class organization, and it's doing critical work to help care for and educate underserved populations," said BBVA Compass Director of Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Reymundo Ocañas. "By teaming up, we're compounding our fight against a deadly disease that can still take hold of vulnerable communities that have poor access to HIV testing and health care. We're committed to building a brighter future for absolutely everyone in our communities — one dollar at a time, one outstretched hand at a time."

Ocañas and other bank executives presented a check for this new grant award to Furnish and EJAF Founder Elton John at the Foundation's Academy Awards Viewing Party.

ABOUT ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION At the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), we believe AIDS can be beaten. We act on that belief by raising funds for evidence-based programs and policies and also by speaking out with honesty and compassion about the realities of people's lives. Sir Elton John created EJAF almost 25 years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Through hard work and with the help of our generous friends and supporters, the two foundations together have raised more than $350 million over the past quarter century to combat stigma, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS. The U.S. foundation focuses its efforts on programs in the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean, while the U.K. foundation funds HIV-related work in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Join us in speaking out, taking action, and contributing to our efforts to achieve a world without AIDS. For more information, please visit ejaf.org.

ABOUT BBVA COMPASS BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 674 branches, including 345 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 75 in Arizona, 62 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico, and commercial and private client offices throughout the U.S. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (4th). BBVA Compass was recently named Best Digital Bank in North America by global finance magazine Euromoney, and earned top nods for best mobile app and best regional bank in the South & West in Money magazine's annual list of the Best Banks in America. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at bbvacompass.com, by following @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visiting newsroom.bbvacompass.com.