Operation HOPE, Inc., a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the financial empowerment of disadvantaged communities, has teamed up with banking giant Wells Fargo looking to ensure access to education and financial services for these population groups.

The plan of these two entities will allow the incorporation of HOPE Inside centers in 20 markets by 2023, providing their services in at least 150 Wells Fargo branches. 

“The new HOPE Inside centers will feature nearby financial coaches from Operation HOPE, who will provide community members with tools to reach their financial goals through financial education workshops and free individualized training,” it is pointed out in a statement.

What is HOPE Inside?

It is Wells Fargo's financial inclusion initiative to enable more citizens, without access to these services, to obtain affordable conventional banking products. In this way, the entity works to eliminate the barriers faced by African-American, Hispanic and Native American households, who represent more than half of unbanked households in the United States.

“From our outreach and collaboration work with stakeholders at the national and community levels, we know that financial education and guidance and an individual's sense of inclusion and trust are important factors in bringing more unbanked people into the formal banking system. Working with Operation HOPE is an important way to remove barriers to financial inclusion and help empower people with education, resources, and tools to manage their money, improve their credit, and reach their financial goals,” said Darlene Goins, Director of the Wells Fargo Banking Inclusion Initiative.

The first HOPE Inside centers have been rolling out since early April, in major markets like Atlanta, Houston and Oakland. It is expected that by the end of 2022 these centers will be able to establish a presence in other cities, such as Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Camden, Phoenix and Gallup.

John Hope Bryant, President and CEO of Operation HOPE, Inc., said:

This collaborative effort can drive significant change and ultimately help address deep-seated barriers to financial empowerment in disadvantaged communities.

Redesigned Branches

In addition to launching these financial guidance centers, Wells Fargo is redesigning branches in select low- and moderate-income areas to meet the needs of these communities. These are some of the advantages that these refurbished offices can offer:

• Their employees reflect the diversity and culture of these communities.
• Services are offered in the language of the clients.
• They provide new tools to inform and train customers on the digital functions that facilitate banking services.

Banking Inclusion

“Since introducing the Banking Inclusion Initiative in May 2021, Wells Fargo has organized the multi-stakeholder National Unbanked Task Force nationwide to seek solutions that expand the access to digital banking services and financial guidance within unbanked communities,” the financial entity highlighted.

Since the end of 2021, Wells Fargo and the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund have been working on finding new marketing approaches to reach the unbanked population and increase their chances of accessing conventional services of this type.

Wells Fargo Measures to Strengthen the Initiative

1. Eliminated transfer fees for Overdraft Protection and non-sufficient funds fees.
2. Creation of a new short-term loan for up to $500.
3. Support was allocated to 13 Minority Depository Institutions (MDI) for their financial, technological and product development strategies.
4. Introducing “Our Money Matters,” a comprehensive financial wellness initiative for students of color at 14 historically Black colleges and institutions serving minorities, who disproportionately face increased financial challenges and college debt.
5. Awarded additional financing and support to expand the Credit Builders Alliance (CBA) low-cost credit building consumer loan program.

For more information on this banking inclusion initiative, click here.