LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18, 2024 — Operation HOPE and U.S. Bank held a ribbon cutting and celebration of its ‘HOPE Inside’ location at 5760 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA., on September 18, 2024.
The award-winning HOPE Inside program, a partnership between Operation HOPE and U.S. Bank, offers access to free financial coaching services and focuses on the economic empowerment of low- to moderate-income individuals, families, and small business owners in underserved communities.
U.S. Bank and Operation HOPE extend partnership offering increased access to free financial coaching services at the newly renovated branch in Crenshaw, Los Angeles. A HOPE Inside coach, specializing in assisting small businesses, will be co-located in the newly renovated Slauson and Crenshaw branch. It is the first-ever U.S. Bank Black Heritage Community branch, featuring design upgrades that reflect the vibrant cultural heritage of Los Angeles’s Crenshaw community. The branch is designed to deliver a hyperlocal, culturally relevant experience for customers and create a deeper connection with customers, employees, and the community. The Operation HOPE Small Business coach will be available for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the community to help them get started or grow their businesses.
“Improving the Crenshaw branch Community Room and the addition of a HOPE Inside space is a way to honor and provide even more value to the community,” said Carl Jordan, California regional leader for branch and small business banking at U.S. Bank. “The updates provide additional resources and a meeting place that are part of the U.S. Bank Access Commitment®, the bank’s long-term approach to help close the wealth gap for underserved communities, including communities of color.”
Each HOPE Inside location provides communities with free credit and money management education as well as one-on-one financial coaching with a trained and experienced financial coach. The HOPE Inside Crenshaw location is part of the bank’s recent program expansion into California’s Los Angeles, Oakland, and Orange County communities. Overall, U.S. Bank and Operation HOPE operate ten locations across six states.
“U.S. Bank is committed to addressing economic disparities in communities like Crenshaw—where access to financial resources has been historically limited,” said John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Operation Hope. “Through the HOPE Inside program, this innovative collaboration is about more than just banking; it’s about creating viable pathways to economic resilience and opportunity for all.”
Operation HOPE is a nonprofit founded by John Hope Bryant in 1992 following the Los Angeles uprisings. The organization’s mission is to disrupt the cycle of poverty by improving the financial wellness of millions of low- and moderate-income families across the nation – with a focus on financial dignity and inclusion. Through its award-winning HOPE Inside model, the organization equips young people and adults with financial tools and education to help secure a better future. All programs and services are offered at no cost to the client, and services are not exclusive to U.S. Bank members.
HOPE Inside programming includes credit and money management inclusive of various consumer credit counseling certifications such as Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and FDIC, among others. The HOPE 700-Credit-Score-Communities initiative supports participants in raising their credit scores to 700, which is a threshold for establishing good credit. Three-hour workshops are held one Saturday morning each month at HOPE Inside locations. Program participants who have completed a workshop can schedule a private coaching session to get one-on-one advice and continue improving money management skills. Multiple in-person and virtual workshops are available for free.
According to anonymized data from the HOPE Community Credit Score Index, the average resident credit score data within the 90043 zip code – where the U.S. Bank HOPE Inside office is located – is 664. The U.S. national credit score average is 698. In partnership with U.S. Bank, the goal of HOPE Inside is to improve these local statistics through hands-on coaching, counseling, and increased access to resources.
