By Special to the Daily World
At a recent press conference co-hosted by historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and financial literacy empowerment nonprofit Operation HOPE (HOPE), the two organizations announced the opening of a HOPE Express office on location at Ebenezer, offering empowerment services to the local community immediately. HOPE Atlanta program results can be found here.
The event brought together leaders from the greater-Atlanta area as well as top-level representatives from the banking community, government and local clergy. Speakers at the event included HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant; HOPE Global Spokesperson Ambassador Andrew Young; Ebenezer Baptist Church Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock; daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and founder of Be A King Enterprises LLC, Dr. Bernice A. King; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed; Atlanta District 2 City Councilman Kwanza Hall; and Financial Services Roundtable President and CEO Steve Bartlett. Fulton County Board Commission Chairman John Eaves was on hand to present HOPE with a proclamation recognizing HOPE’s work around financial literacy.
“As America’s Freedom Church, the Ebenezer community recognizes financial literacy and access as the fourth symphony of the freedom movement,” says Rev. Warnock. “John Hope Bryant’s notion that the post-Civil Rights Movement must advance from civil rights to silver rights is an idea that no freedom loving person can deny. For this reason, we are pleased to join with Operation HOPE as they seek to provide financial assistance to individuals and families through the new HOPE Express Atlanta, which will be located on the grounds of Ebenezer Baptist Church.”
The announcement came as HOPE celebrated April as National Financial Literacy Month and as construction continues for the HOPE Financial Literacy Empowerment Center, Ebenezer, which is housed at the Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resource Complex in the heart of Atlanta.
“Working with the founding partners has truly been a gathering of like minds focused on accomplishing a common goal,” said Bryant, who currently serves the Obama administration on the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. Ambassador Young continued, “by bringing financial literacy into the forefront of our national discussion through this effort, we are finally starting to integrate all underserved people into the free market economy so that they, too, can realize the American Dream.”
During Phase I of the project, HOPE solidified its presence in the Atlanta community and made its vision for the HOPE Center, Ebenezer (HCE) a reality with a shovel ceremony hosted on April 7, 2010, and has since received support from Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and The King Center President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Luther King III, among others. With the support of Ebenezer Baptist Church and The Financial Services Roundtable, along with founding partners SunTrust Bank, LPL Financial, State Farm
About Post Author
