Latest news with #OperationHOPE
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Los Angeles City Council Recognizes Operation HOPE Founder John Hope Bryant for His 33 Years of Commitment to Helping Angelenos Secure a Better Economic Future
Operation HOPE also Awarded $1.25 Million in Scholarships to Council District 10 - Represented by Councilwoman Heather Hutt - through its One Million Black Business Initiative, Empowering Local Entrepreneurs to Start, Grow, or Scale their Businesses LOS ANGELES, June 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Operation HOPE and its Founder, Chair, and CEO John Hope Bryant were recognized by the Los Angeles City Council on May 9, 2025 for their 33 years of commitment to improving the economic and financial outcomes for underserved communities in Los Angeles. Councilwoman Heather Hutt (Council District 10) sponsored the proclamation on behalf of the City Council and was joined by Mr. Bryant as they shared remarks during the Council's public session. In addition, Mr. Bryant announced that Operation HOPE would be offering up to $1.25 million in scholarships for its services through its One Million Black Businesses (1MBB) initiative for Council District 10, which includes the community of Leimert Park, home to Operation HOPE's first location opened in 1994. Following the City Council ceremony, Councilwoman Hutt and Mr. Bryant toured the Leimert Park business district, where they met with a number of local entrepreneurs driving the revitalization of the area, including many who received early support services from Operation HOPE. Awarded scholarships will support local entrepreneurs seeking to start, grow, or scale their businesses, including through access to Shopify's e-commerce platform. Services offered include one-on-one consultations with Operation HOPE small business specialists; support with developing business plans, marketing strategies, and accessing capital; access to Shopify's network of resources, including e-commerce training, a complimentary website, and peer support groups. Operation HOPE was founded by Mr. Bryant on May 5, 1992, in response to the civil unrest in the wake of the Rodney King trial. In the midst of the turmoil and with parts of the city still on fire, Mr. Bryant organized his first "Banker's Bus Tour" through South Central Los Angeles, making the business case for investment in underserved communities. Since that day, Operation HOPE has grown its reach with offices in 300 cities across the U.S., serving over 1,500 locations, helping more than four million individuals, and directing over $4.2 billion in capital into underserved communities throughout the country. "It is always an honor and a privilege to be recognized for our contributions to our home city," said Mr. Bryant. "Operation HOPE began with a simple idea in response to the upheaval in my community – that everyone deserves the opportunity to fully participate in the greatest economy the world has ever known. That idea began and was nurtured in Los Angeles, thanks to so many prominent leaders like Mayor Tom Bradley, Rev. Dr. Cecil Murray, and Peter Ueberroth, who helped mentor and guide me as this idea expanded far beyond the borders of Los Angeles." Over the past decade, Operation HOPE has delivered measurable, life-changing results across Los Angeles, empowering individuals and families through financial literacy, coaching and access to opportunity. The organizations' impact includes: Serving more than 24,000 unique clients across Los Angeles Delivering more then 117,320 financial services including education, coaching and referrals Facilitating 2,000+ financial workshops Providing one-on-one financial coaching to more than 10,500 clients Issuing 7,700+ referrals to banking products, promoting financial inclusion Helping 62% of clients improve their credit score by an average of 38 points Supporting 78% of clients in increasing their savings, with median growth of $800 Facilitating more than $46 million in loan applications, resulting in $27 million funded – including $43+ million in home loans applied for and $25+ million in home loans funded Supporting the creation of 111 new businesses, fueling local economic development About Operation HOPE, 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved—disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $4.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities—turning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. For more information: Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. View source version on Contacts Operation HOPE Contact: Bill Mendel, Mendel Communicationsbill@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
14 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Los Angeles City Council Recognizes Operation HOPE Founder John Hope Bryant for His 33 Years of Commitment to Helping Angelenos Secure a Better Economic Future
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Operation HOPE and its Founder, Chair, and CEO John Hope Bryant were recognized by the Los Angeles City Council on May 9, 2025 for their 33 years of commitment to improving the economic and financial outcomes for underserved communities in Los Angeles. Councilwoman Heather Hutt (Council District 10) sponsored the proclamation on behalf of the City Council and was joined by Mr. Bryant as they shared remarks during the Council's public session. In addition, Mr. Bryant announced that Operation HOPE would be offering up to $1.25 million in scholarships for its services through its One Million Black Businesses (1MBB) initiative for Council District 10, which includes the community of Leimert Park, home to Operation HOPE's first location opened in 1994. Following the City Council ceremony, Councilwoman Hutt and Mr. Bryant toured the Leimert Park business district, where they met with a number of local entrepreneurs driving the revitalization of the area, including many who received early support services from Operation HOPE. Awarded scholarships will support local entrepreneurs seeking to start, grow, or scale their businesses, including through access to Shopify's e-commerce platform. Services offered include one-on-one consultations with Operation HOPE small business specialists; support with developing business plans, marketing strategies, and accessing capital; access to Shopify's network of resources, including e-commerce training, a complimentary website, and peer support groups. Operation HOPE was founded by Mr. Bryant on May 5, 1992, in response to the civil unrest in the wake of the Rodney King trial. In the midst of the turmoil and with parts of the city still on fire, Mr. Bryant organized his first 'Banker's Bus Tour' through South Central Los Angeles, making the business case for investment in underserved communities. Since that day, Operation HOPE has grown its reach with offices in 300 cities across the U.S., serving over 1,500 locations, helping more than four million individuals, and directing over $4.2 billion in capital into underserved communities throughout the country. 'It is always an honor and a privilege to be recognized for our contributions to our home city,' said Mr. Bryant. 'Operation HOPE began with a simple idea in response to the upheaval in my community – that everyone deserves the opportunity to fully participate in the greatest economy the world has ever known. That idea began and was nurtured in Los Angeles, thanks to so many prominent leaders like Mayor Tom Bradley, Rev. Dr. Cecil Murray, and Peter Ueberroth, who helped mentor and guide me as this idea expanded far beyond the borders of Los Angeles.' Over the past decade, Operation HOPE has delivered measurable, life-changing results across Los Angeles, empowering individuals and families through financial literacy, coaching and access to opportunity. The organizations' impact includes: Serving more than 24,000 unique clients across Los Angeles Delivering more then 117,320 financial services including education, coaching and referrals Facilitating 2,000+ financial workshops Providing one-on-one financial coaching to more than 10,500 clients Issuing 7,700+ referrals to banking products, promoting financial inclusion Helping 62% of clients improve their credit score by an average of 38 points Supporting 78% of clients in increasing their savings, with median growth of $800 Facilitating more than $46 million in loan applications, resulting in $27 million funded – including $43+ million in home loans applied for and $25+ million in home loans funded Supporting the creation of 111 new businesses, fueling local economic development About Operation HOPE, Inc. Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved—disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $4.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities—turning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. For more information: Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Operation HOPE and Financial Literacy for All Celebrate Record-Breaking Success of Green Socks Day Challenge
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Operation HOPE and Financial Literacy for All (FL4A) announced today that they achieved record-breaking impact following this year's inaugural Green Socks Day Challenge, which mobilized corporate partners and drove a surge in new clients seeking Operation HOPE's no-cost financial coaching services. Launched to celebrate the advancement of financial literacy as a national priority during Financial Literacy Month, the Green Socks Day Challenge took place on April 30, with individuals, organizations and businesses across the country participating by wearing green socks, taking the Financial Literacy Quiz, and sharing their stories on social media. A total of 52 Operation HOPE corporate partners and members of the FL4A initiative joined the Green Socks Day Challenge, helping to embed financial literacy into workplace culture and conversation. Participating partners included: Walmart, MasterCard, US Bank, Truist, Huntington Bank, iHeart Media, Delta Airlines, MLB, MLS, Nascar, Nasdaq, NBA, NHL, Shopify, OpenAI, and UPS, among other prominent organizations. These partners activated employees, customers and communities through financial literacy events, in-office campaigns, and digital engagement strategies – demonstrating a shared commitment to building a more financially empowered nation. Lastly, Operation HOPE saw an meaningful increase of new client enrollments for its no-cost financial coaching programs with more than 6,700 new client sign-ups in April. The #GreenSocksDay social media campaign generated over 1 million impressions and top posts were featured on Nasdaq's Times Square Tower in New York City, creating a powerful visual moment that amplified the call to action to promote financial literacy. FL4A and Operation HOPE plan to continue this annual tradition and build on this momentum throughout the year to provide free access to financial coaching, educational programs, and corporate partnerships to build a more financially empowered America. For more information or to get involved, visit About Financial Literacy for All (FL4A) Launched in 2021, Financial Literacy for All (FL4A) is a national initiative co-chaired by John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, and Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart. FL4A is dedicated to embedding financial literacy into American culture, ensuring that financial education becomes a lifelong learning priority for individuals, families, businesses, and communities. FL4A is backed by leading corporate partners committed to making financial literacy accessible to all. For more information, visit About Operation HOPE, Inc. Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been a driving force in economic empowerment, shifting America from civil rights to "Silver Rights"—a movement to ensure free enterprise and capitalism work for all. Through its award-winning HOPE Inside model, which received American Banker's Innovator of the Year recognition, Operation HOPE has impacted over 4 million individuals, directing more than $4 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities. With a mission to turn check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into entrepreneurs, and minimum-wage workers into financially independent individuals, Operation HOPE continues to redefine economic inclusion. The organization recently earned Fast Company's "World Changing Ideas" Award and has been recognized with ten consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator for fiscal transparency and accountability. For more information, visit and follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Time Magazine
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
Why Growing the Economy from the Bottom Up is America's Best Bet
America stands at a crossroads. We can try to cut our way out of a looming fiscal crisis—slashing services, tightening belts, and watching as the walls close in on the American Dream. Or we can choose a different path: one of expansion, inclusion, and opportunity. I call this approach 'Raising the Third,' a national strategy to economically empower the bottom one-third of Americans across all races and backgrounds, urban and rural—turning them into stakeholders, owners, and new capitalists in the promise of this country. For decades, America has grown by building from the middle out and the top down. But the middle is shrinking, and the top has become too narrow a base to support the weight of our shared aspirations. Meanwhile, roughly 70% of our population lives paycheck to paycheck or worse, and if you can believe it, approximately 50% of those making $100,000 a year, and even a third of those making as much as $250,000 a year do as well. And for those at the very bottom it is largely, I have found, not because they are lazy, or lack talent or drive, but because they lack access to capital, opportunity and belief. Imagine what happens if we reverse that. If we take the 100 million Americans who are too often counted out and empower them to build businesses, own homes, increase their credit scores, invest in education, and take part in the market as producers, not just consumers. Don't shutter the U.S. Department of Education—give it a radical new mission of training America's bottom third for the AI, technology, skills-based and information-age jobs of the future. And this new economic growth could help grow GDP from the bottom up by 2% to 3% a year, chip away at the fiscal crisis, bring down the deficit, and grow America too. After World War II, America didn't retreat, it expanded. The GI Bill sent millions to college and into the middle class. Infrastructure projects like the interstate highway system connected communities and commerce. Even the moonshot poured billions into high-tech research and development that gave rise to entire industries. We grew our way into leadership. We didn't fear the investment, we embraced it. But that prosperity wasn't shared. Black and brown Americans were largely excluded from many of those opportunities, and white Americans in poor rural areas were left behind by globalization. As a result, we built an economy on an incomplete foundation. If the bottom one-third of Americans were included in the economic mainstream—with a credit score of 700 or higher, with access to prime capital, and with a shot at owning something—we would unlock trillions of dollars in untapped GDP. That's not a redistribution plan. That's an inclusion plan. At Operation HOPE, we've seen what happens when you invest in people's financial well-being. We've helped raise credit scores, start businesses, and launch careers. When people believe that the system works for them, they step up, not step back. They buy homes. They create jobs. They build wealth for the next generation. They stop surviving and start thriving. Step by step, the lights begin to come on again in struggling towns and cities clear across America. Some policymakers argue that America's debt is too high to invest in bold economic strategies. But debt is only dangerous if it doesn't lead to growth. As I have argued before, there is a big difference between good debt and bad debt. Between dumb debt that finances depreciating anything, and smart investments that raise the roof, and have the potential for appreciation. When you invest in people—in their education, in their small businesses, in their financial literacy—you get a return. The right kind of debt is a bridge to prosperity. And let's talk about demographics. America is getting younger at the bottom and more diverse overall. If we don't invest in the bottom third, we risk a future where too many feel left out—and opt out. That's not just bad economics. That's bad democracy. We can grow the pie, not just fight over slices. It's about making financial literacy the civil rights issue of this generation. We can make capitalism work for everyone—not by changing its fundamentals, but by expanding its reach.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
We Need a Farm System for American Jobs
A young football player gets ready to hike a football. Credit - Matt Brown—Getty Images America has a talent pipeline problem. Not in sports—we've got that covered. From the moment a kid picks up a football, we've built an entire ecosystem to scout, train, and elevate them through high school, college, and into the pros. It's a structured path from raw talent to professional achievement. But when it comes to preparing young Americans for jobs in the industries that actually drive our economy—healthcare, tech, finance, real estate, the professions and trades, advanced manufacturing, AI—we've got nothing close to that same focus and program. And that is a massive missed opportunity. We don't just need to fix what's broken—we need to build what's missing. What I'm proposing is simple: a farm club system for American jobs of the future. A national pipeline—backed by private enterprise and public policy—that starts in K-12 and follows a young person all the way into a career with dignity, purpose, and a paycheck. Because here's the truth: while politicians argue over immigration and trade policy, the real threat to American economic dominance is internal. It's our failure to prepare the next generation for the economy that's coming. We're short millions of skilled workers — not because Americans aren't willing to work, but because we haven't shown them where the jobs are, how to get them, and why they matter. We've disconnected our education system from our economic engine. Right now, we let young people stumble through the most important years of their lives with little real-world guidance. They graduate from high school (sometimes) and are left to figure it out on their own. Some go to college and rack up debt. Others go straight to work, but too often in low-wage, low-growth jobs that don't match their talents. This isn't just inefficient. It's a national liability. The good news? We already know how to build a farm system. We've done it in professional sports. We've done it in the military. We've done it in music and the arts. The missing piece is vision and leadership—and belief. We have to believe in young people as assets, not problems. And we have to organize our economy to cultivate their potential from an early age. That means starting in elementary school with exposure: showing kids what's possible beyond their neighborhoods. It means bringing business leaders into classrooms — not just for speeches, but for partnerships. Real apprenticeships. Real mentorships. Real pathways. Like right here at Operation HOPE, and specifically the AI Ethics Council that Sam Altman and I co-chair, and its new AILP3 – which is a AI learning pipeline for young people from elementary school through college in Atlanta, where I live, a partnership with Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta Public Schools and Georgia State University and it's Robinson College of Business. This is a focus Ph.D and too. By middle school, we should be identifying interests and aptitudes—whether it's coding, caregiving, carpentry, or clean energy—and channeling them into hands-on experiences. By high school, students should be plugged into sector-specific programs that align with real industries in their region, whether that's aerospace in Atlanta, robotics in Pittsburgh, or renewable energy in Texas. And by the time they graduate, they should have credentials, not just diplomas. A line of sight into a career, not just a hope and a prayer. This isn't about eliminating college. It's about making it one of many valid routes — not the only one. We need to dignify the skilled trades again. We need to champion community colleges and technical schools. We need to stop telling young people that success looks only one way. We also need business to step up. Not just with donations—with hiring commitments, onramps and training investments. The companies of the future can't just be headquartered in America. They need to be rooted in American talent. That means betting on the 15-year-old in Detroit just as seriously as we bet on the five-star recruit in Alabama. And government has a role, too. We need federal and state policies that incentivize school-to-career partnerships, reward innovation in workforce education, and fund modern infrastructure that connects schools, employers, and community-based organizations. This is how we close the skills gap. This is how we rebuild a middle class that's been eroded for decades. And this is how we future-proof America—by investing in our own people. The world isn't waiting for us to figure this out. China, Singapore, and South Korea are investing in its next generation. And we're still debating whether shop class belongs in school. Let's build a workforce farm system that rivals anything we've ever done in sports. Let's treat our young people like draft picks—not dropouts. Let's give them a bench, a coach, and a playbook for the game of life. That's how you raise up a nation. That's how you grow GDP. That's how you win the future. Contact us at letters@
