IMG_2940
I was honored to meet this morning with U.S. Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan around our work at Operation HOPE, and how we might be able to play a role in advancing President Obama and Secretary Duncan's vision around education and empowerment for our youth.

I thanked the Department of Education for its 2004 Education Innovation Fund grant to Operation HOPE rooted in the assessment of our Banking on Our Future program.  

Today, the 500,000 plus children from low-wealth communities educated through Banking on Our Future, our Banking on Our Future, College Edition initiative, the 70 urban communities we serve nationwide in 3,500 inner-city schools, nonprofit organizations and houses of faith, as well as Haiti and South Africa, the 13,000 plus HOPE Corps volunteers, our 5MK (5 MILLION KIDS) initiative co-chaired by Quincy Jones and civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young, and ultimately, our landmark Gallup-Operation HOPE Financial Literacy Index (which came out of our alliance with America's Promise Alliance), really all came out of and in response to the original Department of Education "Innovation" grant given to Operation HOPE years ago.

I briefed the Secretary on our innovative 5-year framework agreement with the FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE, the first result of which will be the opening of the soon to be launched HOPE Financial Literacy Empowerment Center Ebenezer (at The King Center), in Atlanta, Georgia.  Ebenezer Church was the spiritual home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his father, Martin L. King, Sr, or "Daddy King" as he is commonly known. 

We also spoke briefly around the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability for President Obama, which I am honored to serve on, as an appointee for President Obama.

Looking forward to finding ways that we can work together with Secretary Duncan and the Department of Education going forward.  

Onward with HOPE

 

John Hope Bryant is founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE, bestselling author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass), and a member of the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability for President Barack Obama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pin It on Pinterest