Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf and Operation HOPE CEO John Hope Bryant cut the ceremonial ribbon at the Stone Mountain Memorial Bank branch in Stone Mountain, Ga., to celebrate the opening of Wells' first country's redesigned branch that will feature a HOPE Inside center and a full-time Operation HOPE financial advisor.

Providing resources at no cost to unbanked communities, Operation HOPE Inc., the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the financial empowerment of diverse families, celebrated this historic milestone with the opening of this new branch marking the beginning of a commitment with Wells Fargo to introduce HOPE Inside centers and trainers in 20 markets by the end of 2023.

Bryan stated:

We look forward to continuing to expand our efforts to support low-income communities and communities of color in achieving financial empowerment, ultimately bringing our proven offerings and coaching skills to 1,000 locations across America in the next couple of years.

About HOPE Inside

Launched in March 1994, this initiative provides personalized training and financial education services to a diverse portfolio of clients that includes individuals, small business owners, disaster survivors, and employees, who are also supported with tools to improve their well-being.

HOPE Inside locations, which are free to serve, are located within leading bank branches to support individuals and small business owners, and within corporations and municipal offices to serve as a resource and benefit for employees.

Alliances

Operation HOPE has partnered with global corporations, including Delta Air Lines, UPS, and Uber, as well as leading global financial institutions, such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Truist, US Bank, and Santander, as well as regional banks, including First Horizon, Regions and Fulton.

As of the end of 2021, HOPE Inside had served more than 4 million customers through offerings including:

• Credit and money management training
• Mortgage application assistance
• Training for entrepreneurs and small businesses
• Financial Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
• Financial education programs for young people

HOPE Inside has also helped clients increase credit scores by an average of 46 points, reduce debt by an average of $2,600 per client, and increase savings by an average of $300 per client in one year.