Bank of the West and Operation HOPE Launch Financial Education Resource Center in Southern California

“HOPE Inside” center to support financial empowerment in Pico Rivera

Bank of the West is proud to announce its collaboration with national nonprofit Operation HOPE in bringing the nonprofit’s seventh HOPE Inside Center to California. Through this joint effort, a HOPE Inside Center is now co-located inside Bank of the West’s Pico Rivera Branch and offers financial education programs and a dedicated certified counselor to support the community in the areas of first-time homeownership, small business development and personal money management. All services are offered free of charge and available to the general public.

“Bank of the West is proud that the very first HOPE Inside Center was opened in our West Oakland branch in 2005,” said Michael Shepherd, chairman and CEO of Bank of the West and member of Operation HOPE’s Global Board since 2010. “We are pleased to continue our support of this community development initiative.”

Through its 18 nationwide locations, the HOPE Inside Centers reach a diverse cross section of consumers and age ranges. In the just the period between January and August 2014, the combined HOPE Inside Centers have supported more than 34,000 individuals through programs including the Small Business Empowerment Program, 700 Credit Score Community, First-time Home Buyers Program, HOPE Business in a Box Academy.

“There is something very powerful in the knowledge that financial education can change people’s lives in a meaningful way,” said Steve Bartlett, Operation HOPE board member. “We’re pleased to be in Pico Rivera where we can support the financial goals of the people who live here – whether they dream of homeownership, starting a family business, saving for their children’s education, or simply saving for the future.”

Since 2000 Bank of the West’s support and collaboration with Operation HOPE has provided a range of services and programs toward building financially healthy communities, including financial literacy town halls and forums in Oakland and Denver, and volunteer teaching opportunities in K-12 grade classrooms.

About Bank of the West:
Bank of the West is a regional financial services company chartered in California and headquartered in San Francisco with $69 billion in assets. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 650 offices in 23 states and the internet (bankofthewest.com). Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 80 countries with 190,000 employees.