Campaign aims to invest up to $100,000 in the Shaq-a-Claus holiday program

UNest, a leading fintech company that makes it easier than ever for parents to invest in their kids’ future, today announced a charitable initiative in partnership with The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation. During the 2022 holiday season, UNest is offering matching donations for money invested through its platform, with a goal to contribute up to $100,000 to the Foundation’s Shaq-a-Claus holiday program, which has provided tens of thousands of toys, clothing, meals and more to underprivileged youth across the country.

UNest’s charitable initiative, to begin on Giving Tuesday, November 29, 2022, and run through December 31, 2022, will make a matching donation to The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation for each investment gift of $25 or more, received by a family in their child’s UNest custodial account.

“The holiday season is a crucial time of year for supporting underserved children and their families, and our Shaq-a-Claus program is an incredibly fun and successful way to reach kids,” said Kari Uyehara, The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation Executive Director. “UNest shares our goal of helping every child reach their full potential and we are grateful to have them involved in brightening the holidays for kids in need.”

Established by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, the Foundation’s mission is to create pathways for underserved youth to achieve their full potential. Hosted annually, Shaq-a-Claus has assisted children in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, and New Jersey, among other places. In 2021, Shaq-a-Claus provided support to over 1,300 kids in Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Nevada, and New York.

“Every child deserves equal opportunities for success, which is a core mission for both UNest and The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation,” said UNest founder and CEO Ksenia Yudina, CFA. “It truly takes a village to raise a child. We are proud to team up with the Foundation this holiday season to help support the needs of kids across the United States while encouraging families to build a better financial future for their children.”

As part of its mission to help parents build a brighter future for their children, UNest is also committed to protecting and enhancing the lives of underprivileged youth. Since its market launch in 2020, UNest has helped over 500,000 parents and kids build a lasting financial legacy for their families. Last year, gifts through the UNest platform reached $600,000, and the company is on track to exceed that in 2022.

UNest makes it easy to send a one-time gift or invest on a recurring schedule for grandchildren, godchildren, nieces, nephews and other important children in their lives. Parents generate a unique URL within the UNest app to send to friends and family via email, text message or social channels in advance of a holiday, birthday or special occasion. Upon receiving the unique URL, those wishing to send a gift open a webpage that helps them select an amount, and optionally add stickers and photos before sending the gift to the child’s UNest account.

Friends and family can also initiate the process of sending a financial gift to children that do not have a UNest account. Those wishing to send a gift generate a unique code at unest.co that they forward to the custodian of the child, prompting them to open a UNest account.

About The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation

The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation creates pathways for underserved youth, helping them achieve their full potential. Established in 2019 by the NBA Hall of Famer, television sports analyst and entrepreneur Shaquille O'Neal, the Foundation works to instill hope and bring about change in communities, collectively shaping a brighter future for our children. While primarily partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs and Communities in Schools, the Foundation will simultaneously support Shaquille's other charitable endeavors, such as his annual Shaq-a-Claus holiday event and initiatives alongside his corporate partners. For more information, visit shaqfoundation.org.

About UNest

UNest is a purpose-driven fintech company empowering parents to invest and save for their kids’ future. Since launching in February of 2020, UNest has helped tens of thousands of families give their children a financial head-start and road map. Opening a UNest Investment Account for Kids requires no paperwork and takes just five minutes to set up through its award-winning app. UNest leadership team includes senior team members from MoneyLion, Marqeta, and Capital Group. The North Hollywood company is backed by leading investors including Anthos, The Artemis Fund, Franklin Templeton, Altair Capital, Launchpad Capital, OneWay Ventures, Unlock Venture Partners, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Bitfury, and NBA All-Star Baron Davis. UNest is supported by a roster of celebrity brand ambassadors, such as Laura Dern and Hannah Simone, who share in the company’s mission. UNest Securities LLC is a FINRA registered broker-dealer. To learn more visit www.unest.co.

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