Popular Community Bank Commits $150,000 to Establish Financial-Empowerment Locations of Nonprofit Operation HOPE at Branches in Harlem and the Bronx

November 21, 2013 10:34 AM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Popular Community Bank today announced that it will become the newest member of the HOPE Inside member network by committing $150,000 to establish two Operation HOPE locations at its branches in Harlem and the Bronx, New York.

“We look forward to working with our HOPE partners in delivering beneficial financial education and resources to the Harlem and East Tremont [Bronx] communities.”

The HOPE Inside program brings financial literacy and empowerment to people at locations they already frequent. HOPE counselors will help members of the community with their personal financial needs at the Popular Community Bank branches located on 231 West 125th St. in Harlem and 725 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, where Popular first opened a branch on the U.S. mainland in 1961.

“We share the values of Operation HOPE and we have a long history of involvement with this great organization,” said Brian F. Doran, Region Executive (New York Metro) at Popular Community Bank. “We look forward to working with our HOPE partners in delivering beneficial financial education and resources to the Harlem and East Tremont [Bronx] communities.”

Over the last 20 years, Popular Community Bank has partnered with HOPE on several of its important youth initiatives, including Banking on our Future and HOPE Business In A Box.

"Popular Community Bank's commitment to empowering the community is outstanding and this partnership will enable HOPE to take our programs in the New York Market to scale, reaching more families in the Harlem and East Tremont communities,” said Mary Hagerty Ehrsam, CEO of the New York Market for Operation HOPE. “We are pleased and honored to partner with Popular Bank, and bring more opportunity for individuals to own their own home or business.”

Carlos Vázquez, president of Popular Community Bank and chief financial officer of Popular, Inc., is a member of the National Board of Directors of Operation HOPE. Popular Community Regional Executives Israel Velasco (Florida), Vernon Aguirre (California) and Brian Doran (New York) are members of HOPE’s respective Regional Board of Directors.

HOPE Inside is part of Operation HOPE’s focused strategy for Project 5117, a multi-year undertaking that will help the financial dignity nonprofit turn underserved communities into emerging markets, increase business role models for youth, boost credit scores for adults and empower underserved communities.

About Popular Community Bank

Founded in 1893, Popular, Inc. is the leading banking institution by both assets and deposits in Puerto Rico, and among the largest 40 banks in the U.S. by assets. In the United States, Popular has established a community-banking franchise that does business as Popular Community Bank, providing a broad range of financial services and products, with 91 branches in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Florida and California.

Services of Popular are available at branches and online at http://popularcommunitybank.com. For customers seeking more information, call 1-800-377-0800 or email popularnet@bpop.com. Find out about the community service of Popular Community Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PopularCommunityBank.

About Operation HOPE (HOPE)

Since its inception in 1992, HOPE, a global nonprofit focused on financial dignity, has empowered more than 2 million individuals and directed more than $1.5 billion in private capital to America's low-wealth communities. It has recruited a growing army of 20,000 HOPE Corps volunteers, and helped raise average credit scores for financial case management clients more than 120 points over an average 18-month period. It currently serves more than 300 U.S. cities, as well as South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and most recently, the United Arab Emirates. Its effort to empower underserved communities is a “silver rights” mission to make free enterprise work for everyone. To learn more about Operation HOPE visit www.operationhope.org, follow us our Twitter, @operationhope, and Like us on Facebook.

 

Contacts

Popular Community Bank
Fran Del Valle, 212-717-5499
fran@influencecentral.com

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