HOPE in the News
January 24th, 2019
HOPE Awarded National Juntos Avanzamos Designation by Inclusiv for Work to Expand Financial Access to Hispanic Communities HOPE is the first Mississippi-based credit union – and the first operating in Arkansas and Tennessee – to be awarded the prestigious national Juntos Avanzamos designation by Inclusiv, an association with a mission to help low- and moderate-income people and communities achieve financial independence through credit unions. HOPE received the designation based on its commitment to financial inclusion. As part of its work to serve the Hispanic community, HOPE has hired bilingual staff and translated materials to make the credit union’s products, services, and financial education resources more culturally relevant. HOPE associates in these communities also are connecting with local organizations and events to help build relationships with Hispanic members. HOPE will hold ceremonies in honor of the designation this spring in Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn. “This designation recognizes the groundbreaking work you and your team have historically done to meet the needs of low-income consumers in general and of the Hispanic community in particular. This is what financial inclusion is all about, and you are leading the way,” wrote Inclusiv in the award letter. Launched nationally in September 2015, the Juntos Avanzamos program now has a presence in 23 states, serving more than 5.3 million consumers and delivering responsible financial products at over 684 community branches. Read more. New Project Opens Door for Birmingham Boys & Girls Club to Serve More Youth HOPE joined former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Birmingham, Ala., Mayor Randall L. Hoodfin to break ground on a new building project for the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club. HOPE provided $9 million in New Market Tax Credits as part of the financing for the clubhouse project. Rice, a Birmingham native who helped lead the fundraising effort, said the project gives youth “the opportunity to lead healthier lives.” HOPE Senior Vice President for Community and Economic Development Kendra Key told the crowd gathered at the December ceremony that the project represented HOPE’s first major investment in Alabama after its 2017 expansion into the state. The project will increase the organization’s capacity to offer tutoring and mentoring services to more youth. Currently, the facility serves some 1,500 children from challenged neighborhoods across Birmingham and Jefferson County. “HOPE supports community facilities because we know the transformative power that facilities like these have in inspiring and empowering young people, especially those who may need an extra boost to realize their fullest potential.” HOPE Launches Yearlong Community Celebration to Mark 25th Anniversary HOPE began in 1994 with an audacious goal: “To Transform the Economy of the Delta.” Over the past 25 years, HOPE’s footprint has expanded across the Deep South, but our core mission is unchanged. This year, HOPE will recognize its Silver Anniversary during annual member celebrations, community meetings and across various digital platforms, reflecting our key partnerships, lessons learned and our goals for the future. The theme is “When We Hope Together.” The “we” in the […]
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December 6th, 2018
Innovative Use of New Market Tax Credits, Bond Issue Spur School Renovation in Historic Vicksburg Renovation work is underway at Vicksburg High School, one of the first public schools in the nation to receive financing through New Market Tax Credits. The bulk of the $32 million project cost is financed by a bond issue, and includes $10.7 million in HOPE NMTCs. The project will provide much-needed updates to the building to support the school district’s mission of graduating all students college, career and life prepared. Additions and improvements add 21st century learning spaces and will include new lab space, a mock courtroom, an entrepreneur lab, an aquaponics lab, student leadership lounge, media center and a student run store and credit union. “Families and communities thrive when people have strong schools, quality health care, jobs that pay enough to live on, and financial institutions that treat everyone with respect,” said HOPE CEO Bill Bynum. “This investment positions Vicksburg students, residents and the entire community for a brighter future.” Read more. HOPE Closes 1st NeighborhoodLIFT Mortgage Loan in Mississippi Delta Moments after Patricia Brown signed final paperwork on her home loan, HOPE Senior Vice President James Hunter presented her with a housewarming gift. Brown of Greenwood was the first Mississippi resident to receive a down payment assistance grant from the NeighborhoodLIFT program, sponsored by Wells Fargo and NeighborWorks America, and administered by HOPE. HOPE was also the lender for Brown, who is a first-time homeowner. “I cannot express how excited I am. This grant really helped me to afford this home. It’s what I’ve always wanted,” said Brown. The program provides $7,500 in down payment assistance to eligible home buyers. First-responders can receive $10,000 grants. The grants are the result of a $2.75 million commitment by Wells Fargo to boost homeownership in Mississippi. Read more. Elementary Students ‘Plant Seeds’ by Opening Savings Accounts with HOPE By dropping spare change in her piggy bank, Marlana saved $89.60 this year, which she deposited during a recent field trip to Hope Credit Union as part of HOPE’s partnership with the Mississippi Children’s Museum’s Planting the Seeds to Read family literacy program. Each week, families are served a healthy dinner, and children participate in a hands-on literacy activity. As part of the program, HOPE conducts financial workshops for both students and their parents or guardians, and provides seed money for students who complete the program. Research shows that low-income children who have a savings account are more likely to enroll in and graduate from post-secondary education than those without savings. Marlana says she’s saving for her college education, “and I’ll give the rest to people in need.” During the field trip, 5-year-old Shabreya opened her first account, and her grandmother, Maurika Watson, also opened a HOPE account. She had attended the sessions with her granddaughter. “What I learned made me want to build my credit,” Watson said. “We found out there is hope, and we want a part of it.” Learn more about HOPE’s […]
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October 1st, 2018
HOPE Celebrates a Year in Alabama by Announcing Expansion Plans In September, HOPE celebrated the one-year anniversary of its expansion into Alabama with an open house and ribbon cutting for our newly renovated Arba Street branch, and by announcing plans for a second branch in Montgomery, and a program office in Birmingham. The new branch, scheduled to open in early 2019, will be located in a former Regions Bank branch. Regions has also donated facilities to HOPE in Drew, Itta Bena, Moorhead, Shaw, Jackson and Terry MS, Memphis, and Little Rock. In Birmingham, Senior Vice President Kendra Key will lead efforts to identify projects and partnerships that take advantage of HOPE’s community development programs. Read more. Visit to National Memorial for Peace and Justice & Legacy Museum Reaffirms HOPE’s Commitment to Economic Opportunity The compelling experience of visiting the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery underscored for members of HOPE’s board and management the connection between HOPE’s work in the Deep South, and vestiges of a history that continues to limit economic mobility in the Deep South, particularly for communities of color. A HOPE colleague observed: “The raw presentation of the trauma experienced by many of the communities we serve was a searing reminder of why the work of advancing economic opportunity for all is so important. I left the experience heartbroken and disturbed—yet proud to be a part of an organization that can, through financial services, inspire optimism and empower the communities of the Deep South that have demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity time and time again.” Applicants Welcomed for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program HOPE encourages qualified businesses to apply to participate in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program (10KSB). The program offers a curriculum that focuses on practical business skills, including negotiations, marketing, and employee management. As the 10KSB lending partner for the Deep South, HOPE provides qualifying businesses with access to capital to support their growth plans. Small business owners can learn more about the program during a webinar scheduled for Oct. 8. Business owners selected for the program receive a full scholarship, with tuition and travel costs funded by the Goldman Sachs Foundation. To learn more, and apply for the program, visit www.10ksbapply.com. Read a HOPE 10KSB success story. Register for the webinar. HOPE Partners with Wells Fargo and NeighborWorks America on NeighborhoodLIFT NeighborhoodLIFT comes to Mississippi October 29! NeighborhoodLIFT is a national down payment assistance program sponsored by Wells Fargo and NeighborWorks® America. HOPE is the grant administrator for Mississippi. The program provides eligible homebuyers with $7,500 to use toward down payment and closing costs on qualified homes. For veterans and service members, teachers, paraprofessionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, the program provides $10,000. Read more. HOPE Uses Municipal ID to Foster Financial Inclusion in Little Rock HOPE is one of the few financial institutions to recognize Little Rock’s new municipal identification cards as a primary ID for opening bank […]
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