Volunteers help nonprofit bring financial literacy, disaster preparedness and relief to underserved communities throughout the United States and South Africa
LOS ANGELES – November 1, 2010 – Economic Empowerment nonprofit Operation HOPE (HOPE) announced this week that their HOPE Corps of volunteers has surpassed 12,500 members. Since its inception, HOPE Corps has recruited volunteers from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors as well as from the community at large in an effort to provide HOPE’s services. Through their involvement, HOPE Corps volunteers have distributed emergency economic services to individuals victimized by hurricanes, floods and wildfires through HOPE Coalition America, educated youth in financial literacy by teaching HOPE’s Banking on Our Future program and provided courses in credit, first time homebuyers and entrepreneurial training at the many HOPE Centers located across the country.
“As an active advocate and educator in the community, Operation HOPE’s Corps of volunteers has given us the ability to reach over a million people nationwide, teaching them economic empowerment and ‘the language of money,’” said business bestselling author and Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant. “Volunteers have been the voice and the face of Operation HOPE on the ground and in our communities.”
By bringing HOPE’s many programs to the community, HOPE Corps has played a vital role in the financial education of many adults and youth in underserved and low-income areas. To date, the nonprofit has serviced 1.2 million individuals; bring the message of economic empowerment to communities since the founding of Operation HOPE in 1992.
“Volunteers provide us all with a sense of excitement and sense of accomplishment in everything they do, said Shannon Campbell, Operation HOPE’s director of HOPE Corps. “As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to expanding our presence in our communities.”
The announcement of 12,500 volunteers was made in light of commitments made to Operation HOPE’s newest initiative FIVE MILLION KIDS (5MK) to recruit and train 25,000 by 2014 in efforts to reach out to youth and reverse high dropout rates in the United States.
HOPE extends a sincere thanks to all the volunteers who have sacrificed their time, energy and talents to provide services to underserved communities. For more information on opportunities to volunteer at Operation HOPE, please contact Shannon Campbell at Shannon.campbell@operationhope.org, visit our website at www.operationhope.org or follow us at www.twitter.com/operationhope, and www.facebook.com/operationhope.