Every day we ask people to make investments in us. The same is true regardless of if you’re a doctor, lawyer, stay-at-home parent, teacher, preacher, bus driver, or business analyst. No matter who you are or what you do, we’re asking people to take a chance on us to help us grow and develop some part of who we are.
Investments aren’t charity gifts. There’s an expectation that the investment will yield a return. There is an exchange that takes place. A doctor exchanges medical information for money, and you both invest in your health and their reputation. A teacher exchanges knowledge they’ve learned over the years for a paycheck raised through taxes from the community. The teacher invests in the lives of students, and students invest their time and attention to their studies. Both made investments, and both are expecting returns.
As the CEO of Operation HOPE, I made a daring move by asking banks and community organizations to make an investment in my vision and into the future of our nation. I asked them to invest with the understanding that the returns we’re seeking aren’t intangible “feel good” moments. Yes, that comes along with doing great work. But when our partners invest in Operation HOPE, they’re investing in the transformation of millions of people across the country. They’re investing in the economic uplift of individuals who never saw a way out of the darkness of financial lack and illiteracy. And they’re investing in their own bottom line.
Operation HOPE and I are making good on the investments that we’ve asked of our partners and that we ask of you, our supporters and advocates. Check out the video above to learn how.If you want to invest in your financial future, reach out to an Operation HOPE financial wellbeing coach today. Get started by clicking here. You can also go the extra mile and give to The 1865 Project, Operation HOPE’s ongoing campaign to raise awareness and support for our mission, which in part helps complete the work of the Freedman’s Bank. You can give a donation of any size here.
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