Operation HOPE, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping low- and moderate-income Americans thrive in an ever-changing economy, announced today that it has exceeded its goal to secure $100 million in commitments - both in cash and in-kind - from its corporate members and partners to help drive its mission to bring financial literacy and empowerment to all. These commitments were made during the Annual HOPE Global Forums last week in Atlanta.

During the Forums, Operation HOPE partner Shopify committed $60 million in additional in-kind contributions to its previous $130 million commitment from 2020, which was instrumental in the launch of Operation HOPE’s 1 Million Black Business initiative (1MBB). The new commitment will provide an extension of the in-kind use of Shopify’s e-commerce platform for 1MBB program participants, which has helped launch and grow more than 450,000 Black businesses to date. In addition, longstanding Operation HOPE partner Truist committed to a $20 million renewal supporting an expansion of its national footprint of HOPE Inside coaches at its bank branches, who assist individuals primarily from low-and moderate-income communities with credit counseling, small business development, and homeownership support – all at no charge to the client. Other commitments were made by both longstanding and new Operation HOPE partners, including iHeart Media, Southern Company, and Target Foundation.

“We are extremely grateful to our partners that share our commitment to empowering families and individuals who seek to build security in their financial future with the tools, resources and advisors needed in today’s competitive global economy,” said John Hope Bryant, Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO. “Financial literacy, learning about business and entrepreneurship as well as access to capital are critical tools in building financial resiliency and uplifting communities, and we are proud to join other business leaders in growing prosperity in all corners of the U.S.”

About Operation HOPE, Inc.

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved—disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities—turning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

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