John Hope Bryant

Operation HOPE founder John Hope Bryant meets with President Bill Clinton

Today I was deeply honored to meet and spend substantive time one on one with former U.S. President (and my friend) William Jefferson Clinton, in his Clinton Foundation office in Harlem, New York.  I was also pleased to have with me Mrs. Mary Hagerty Ehrsam, our global chief of financial dignity.  Our government relations chief, Ms. Jena Roscoe who worked for President Clinton in the second term at the White House, did not join us but she was there with us in spirit.

We covered a range of items of mutual interest to both his foundations and the Operation HOPE family, both domestic and international, including the new Gallup-HOPE Index and the Gallup-HOPE Index Cities Initiative.  We actually presented President Clinton and his staff with the first draft copy of the Gallup-HOPE Index 2011 Report, which will be mailed out nationwide to leaders later this month.  We also briefed the President on the HOPE Financial Dignity Center, Ebenezer which is presently under construction in Atlanta (at the King Center complex and within th new Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resource Complex), our new HOPE Office of Small Business & Entrepreneurship which will be formally announced to the public on my birthday, February 6th, 2012, along with our new HOPE Business-In-A-Box and the HOPE FILE Program (HOPE Fellows, HOPE Interns and HOPE Loan Executive Programs).

John Hope Bryant and Operation HOPE Meets with Federal Chairman Ben Bernanke

Today I was honored to meet with friend of HOPE and friend to underserved communities everywhere -- U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C.

Meeting with the Chairman reminded me of why we gave him our HOPE Award in the first place, when he came to speak at our last HOPE Global Financial Literacy Summit in Anacostia. The Chairman has been a big supporter of financial literacy in the past, and today I formally briefed him on what I believe comes next in the silver rights movement, or financial dignity for all. We spoke about HOPE's 20th Anniversary (May 5th, 2012), our domestic and global work, our Gallup-HOPE Index results, the Gallup-HOPE Index Cities Initiative, the new HOPE Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, HOPE Business-In-A-Box, the Wikia-HOPE Global Money Initiative, and our on- the-ground results. Separately, I discussed my new role as chairman of the new Subcommittee on the Underserved and Community Empowerment for the US President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability, a Council chaired by John Rogers. Specifically, I briefed him around our coming Local Financial Literacy Council efforts.

The Chairman has breathed confidence and a sense of stability in these times, in America and around the world. I wanted to thank him, personally. I also told him to remember that "no good deed shall go unpunished." To keep on moving forward, serving, helping.

Stay tuned for more to come from my meeting with the Chairman, and his team. Jena Roscoe, HOPE Government Relations Chief, staffed me for this important meeting.


John Hope Bryant is founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and bestselling author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass).

- Posted from my iPhone

Operation HOPE Financial Dignity Center, Ebenezer ~ On The Move in Atlanta

This is literally a "steel out of the ground" silver rights movement, under way right now in Atlanta, at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and America's "Freedom Church."

The HOPE Financial Dignity Center, Ebenezer serves as the anchor tenant and partner for the Martin Luther King, Sr Community Resource Complex, next to Ebenezer and on the broader King Center site.

Partners in HOPE Center, Ebenezer, led and organized by Steve Bartlett (CEO) and the FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE, include Suntrust Bank, State Farm Insurance, LPL Financial, Wells Fargo, MasterCard, Coca-Cola, the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the U.S. Economic Development Administration.  This commitment from the FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE is a highlight feature of the HOPE-FSR National Framework Agreement for Financial Literacy, designed to bring financial literacy into the C-Suite of America's financial leaders, and to make it a 'business case' for those involved.

A special thank you to Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, for seeing the vision here for silver rights, and moving to make it real in people's lives.

The best is yet to come.  Stay tuned....

 

John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and is chairman of the Subcommittee for the Under-Served and Community Empowerment for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, for President Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum. 

 

Operation HOPE, Detroit Reports In

My friend and partner, and HOPE Midwest Board Member Dave Gamlin (New Detroit) tells me that Operation HOPE, Detroit has educated 7,500 youth plus in 2011, around financial literacy, and more than 30,000 youth (4th grade through 12th grade) program to date inDetroit.

 

 

U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability Announces Subcommittee for the Underserved and Community Empowerment

Operation HOPE Founder John Hope Bryant Appointed Subcommittee Chairman

Washington, DC,  January 19, 2012

Financial dignity empowerment nonprofit, Operation HOPE (HOPE) today announced that HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant has been appointed chairman of the recently announced Subcommittee on the Underserved and Community Empowerment for the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability (“Council”). The subcommittee reports to the full Council, which is chaired by business leader John Rogers, chairman of Ariel Capital Management. Amy Rosen, CEO of NFTE, serves as Council vice chair.

As part of the President’s mandate to serve and empower the underserved, the subcommittee will maintain a full and robust agenda, led by a local financial literacy council plan of action with cities and states. Bryant’s relationships with nonprofits, district leaders in both public and private sectors will help facilitate the building of community networks.

Operation HOPE Joins The White House for Special Announcement for Youth Jobs Now!

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

January 4, 2012

 We Can’t Wait: The White House Announces Federal and Private Sector Commitments to Provide Employment Opportunities for Nearly 180,000 Youth

Today, the White House announced Summer Jobs+, a new call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012. The President proposed $1.5 billion for high-impact summer jobs and year-round employment for low-income youth ages 16-24 in the American Jobs Act as part of the Pathways Back to Work fund. When Congress failed to act, the Federal government and private sector came together to commit to creating nearly 180,000 employment opportunities for low-income youth in the summer of 2012, with a goal of reaching 250,000 employment opportunities by the start of summer, at least 100,000 of which will be placements in paid jobs and internships. Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of executive actions the Obama Administration is taking to strengthen the economy and move the country forward because we can’t wait for Congress to act.  

“America’s young people face record unemployment, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they’ve got the opportunity to earn the skills and a work ethic that come with a job.  It’s important for their future, and for America’s.  That’s why I proposed a summer jobs program for youth in the American Jobs Act – a plan that Congress failed to pass.  America’s youth can’t wait for Congress to act.  This is an all-hands-on-deck moment.  That’s why today, we’re launching Summer Jobs+, a joint initiative that challenges business leaders and communities to join my Administration in providing hundreds of thousands of summer jobs for America’s youth,” said President Obama.

“While young people who are currently disconnected from school or work are not contributing to our economy, we see these young people as ‘Opportunity Youth’ – because of the untapped potential they bring to the Nation.  Today, the White House challenged all sectors to go all-in and work together in creating pathways to youth employment.  Summer jobs are an important step – and to stay on the path to success, Opportunity Youth need social supports and access to relevant education, mentoring and training.  This spring, the White House Council for Community Solutions will participate in community discussions nationwide to learn from best efforts by youth, families, government, business, educators, and nonprofits to connect young people to meaningful career opportunities,” said Patty Stonesifer, Chair of the White House Council for Community Solutions (WHCCS).

The Administration also announced its intention to launch, within 60 days, the Summer Jobs+ Bank, a one-stop search tool for youth to access postings for any participating employers seeking to reach them where they are online. The search tool builds upon an open standard, the JobPosting schema endorsed by schema.org in November, 2011 in support of the Veterans Jobs Bank, and will include technical and promotional support by Google, Internships.com, AfterCollege, LinkedIn and Facebook. Today the Corporation for National and Community Service released a new toolkit created in collaboration with the WHCCS and employers to support businesses and communities in their efforts to help young people become productive citizens and connect to greater opportunities, both of which are critical for the long-term strength and competiveness of the Nation.

Today’s announcements build on previous commitments from the Obama Administration to support summer youth employment. In 2009 and 2010, communities across the country used Recovery Act funds to directly support summer work opportunities for over 367,000 young people. In the summer of 2011, the Department of Labor brought together private sector commitments to employ over 80,000 youth.

A new analysis released today by the WHCCS showed that in 2011 alone, taxpayers shouldered more than $93 billion in direct costs and lost tax revenue to support young adults disconnected from school and work. Over the lifetime of these young people, taxpayers will assume a $1.6 trillion burden to meet the increased needs and lost revenue from this group.Read the full analysis here.  

Businesses, non-profits and government can accept the President’s call-to-action by directly hiring youth as well as providing corporate mentorship experiences, internship, and other opportunities that connect young people to jobs. The three key ways organizations can engage are:

• Learn and Earn: Provide youth jobs for the summer of 2012 in the form of paid internships and/or permanent positions that provide on-the-job training. Of the roughly 180,000 job commitments announced today more than 70,000 are Learn and Earn commitments.

• Life Skills: Provide youth work-related soft skills, such as communication, time management and teamwork, through coursework and/or experience.  This includes resume writing or interview workshops and mentorship programs.

• Work Skills: Provide youth insight into the world of work to prepare for employment.  This includes job shadow days and internships. More information about this initiative can be found at dol.gov/summerjobs

As the nation continues to recover from the deepest recession since the Great Depression, American youth are struggling to get the work experience they need for jobs of the future. According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (Current Population Survey):

• 48.8 percent of youth between the ages of 16-24 were employed in July, the month when youth employment usually peaks. This is significantly lower than the 59.2 percent of youth who were employed five years ago and 63.3 percent of youth who were employed 10 years ago. 

• Minority youth had an especially difficult time finding employment this past summer. Only 34.6 percent of African American youth and 42.9 percent of Hispanic youth had a job this past July.

In addition to the organizations making commitments for the summer of 2012, the Department of Labor will honor UPS, We Are Golf, Wells Fargo, and Jamba Juice for their strong participation in their 2011 summer jobs effort and the Corporation for National and Community Service will honor Bank of America, State Street, Viacom, Deloitte, and JP Morgan for their leadership in corporate mentoring over the past year.

Commitments Announced Include:

Inspired By President' Obama's Call for Youth Jobs Now, Operation HOPE Announces Special Youth Opportunity Commitment tied to Gallup-HOPE Index Cities Initiative

Inspired by President Barack Obama's call to leading private sector and community-based organizations to act now, helping to create youth business internships, jobs and opportunity, Operation HOPE stepped forward and made a unique commitment to actually operationalize the Gallup-HOPE Index Cities Initiative, which is built around our recently launched Gallup-HOPE Index National Poll.  

Operation HOPE was honored to step forward, and to develop something that can show real results in real communities.  Here is how it works. 

On October 13th, 2011, Gallup and Operation HOPE (HOPE) released a first-ever national data poll around youth financial literacy and youth economic energy in America.  Complete summary national Index data findings can be found at http://www.gallup.com/poll/150077/students-entrepreneurial-energy-waiting-tapped.aspx.

"The short-term goal is youth jobs, but the long-term goal #1, in every major urban city, is moving cities from 77/5, to 77/20." 

The national poll had a 3% margin of error and covered the Q34 breakthrough questions, as designed by Gallup social scientists.  All of the results were both telling and compelling, and further confirmed both Gallup and HOPE's fundamental belief that aspirations, hope and opportunity, and focusing on youth's 'strengths,' rather than their weaknesses, is the key to get young people to both enroll and to become real stakeholders in their own future success. 

77/5

One of the most compelling data stat groups that seemed to jump out and distinguish itself from the national raw data, was youth responses to two critical questions:

1. 77% of all youth report that they want to be their own boss.
2. 5% of all youth report that they currently have a business internship or business mentor.

Bank of the West Commits $1.7 Million to Operation HOPE’s Efforts to Promote Economic Well-being

Financial literacy programs and the Gallup-HOPE Index national student survey, receive support

LOS ANGELES--Global leader in financial dignity, Operation HOPE (HOPE) announced today a three-year, $1.7 million contribution, including cash grants and office space, by Bank of the West.

The bank’s support will directly benefit HOPE’s award-winning youth empowerment program— Banking on Our Future — in Portland, Oakland and Denver, as well as the Gallup-HOPE Index, a national survey measuring financial literacy and the economic energy of U.S. students.  Other programs and services that stand to benefit from Bank of the West’s contributions include HOPE’s financial literacy events and forums, and HOPE’s Financial Literacy Empowerment Center (HOPE Center), located with the bank’s branch in Oakland. Since 2005, the HOPE Center has served nearly 45,000 individuals.

“We are pleased to work with a financial institution like Bank of the West that understands commitment to community. Through our partnership we have worked side by side to turn underserved communities into healthy ones,” said HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant. “It is through partnerships like this that HOPE is able to deliver the financial literacy tools that empower individuals and change lives.”

Read the complete story on the HOPE site here.

 

 

Microsoft Supports Operation HOPE's Mission to Empower Underserved with $1 Million Software Donation

Global leader in financial dignity to upgrade and expand technology and services throughout organization

LOS ANGELES--Operation HOPE (HOPE) announced today a $1,000,527.00 in-kind contribution from Microsoft to help support its “silver rights” mission to empower the underserved through financial literacy and dignity.

The donation, made up of over 2,100 units of software products ranging from office and business to design and content management programs, will help the financial dignity and empowerment nonprofit, upgrade computer services for its employees and clients.

“As our relationship with Microsoft deepens, so has the ability to better serve and empower under-resourced communities,” said HOPE Executive Vice President and Chief of Field Operations Lance Triggs. “We are pleased that Microsoft recognizes the important work that we do and look forward to using this gift to improve programs and services for clients at our HOPE Financial Dignity and Literacy Empowerment Centers (HOPE Center), as well as enhance corporate operations, client management and volunteer involvement.”

Read the complete story at Operation HOPE here.

 

Operation HOPE Launches Arabic Version Financial Literacy Curriculum

I was honored to be in Morocco recently, speaking as the closing keynote for the annual meeting of the African Securities Exchange Association and before 22 CEOs for their respective country's stock exchanges, throughout the whole of Africa.  More than 400 delegates attended from countries beyond the African continent, and I was also thrilled to again spend some time with my friend and our HOPE Global Board of Advisors' Chairman, Mr. Sean Cleary, whom I lovingly refer to as the "South African James Bond."  Mr. Cleary, a legend in South Africa who helped to draft the South African Constitution, was also a featured speaker.  The conference was organized, hosted and held by my friend and fellow global advisory board member Karim Hajji, CEO of the Casablanca Stock Exchange.

The launch the Arabic contextualized version of our Banking on Our Future financial literacy curriculum, and a featured part of our Wikia-HOPE Global Money, Morocco Initiative, was no small feat. The actual work to get this done came through the staff of the CSE (for whom I and we are very thankful), but the importance of getting this done, and at this particular time and place in history cannot be understated.