U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Citizen Corps and Operation HOPE Announce Emergency Financial First Aid Kit.

LOS ANGELES -- Free Kit Available to Millions of Americans through National Network of Government and Corporate Partners

As part of National Preparedness Month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Citizen Corps and Operation HOPE, Inc. (OHI) signed an official affiliate partnership on September 27, 2004, to promote financial and economic education for disaster planning and recovery through the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK). The EFFAK provides guidance on simple steps everyone should take to identify and organize key financial records to help maintain financial stability in the event of an emergency. Operation HOPE's HOPE Coalition America also provides free financial counseling and casework services to people affected by natural disasters and national emergencies, helping more than 1,000 Americans in 125 cities in 35 states to date.

"On September 11, 2001, when terrorists closed Operation HOPE's office near the World Trade Center, I looked for a meaning and a mission in the disaster," recalls John Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of OHI. "I found that meaning and mission in creating HOPE Coalition America. In providing free financial recovery services to those affected by natural disasters and national emergencies, we have witnessed first-hand that after an emotional disaster there follows a financial disaster. We have seen that Americans need not only financial recovery services, but a tool to assist them in preparing in advance. We created the EFFAK to provide Americans with that tool."

Organizing key financial and legal documents is a critical component of emergency planning. The EFFAK helps users collect key financial records and legal documents to make the recovery process easier should a disaster occur. The EFFAK is being distributed as a free digital file and/or physical form by OHI partners including the American Bankers Association, America's Community Bankers, Bank of America, California Service Corps, City of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department, Consumer Bankers Association, Department of Homeland Security, Deutsche Bank, E*TRADE, Federal Reserve System, H&R Block, ING, Jump$tart Personal Finance Clearinghouse, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Eric Garcetti and Bernard Parks, National Association of Federal Credit Unions, National Credit Union Administration, New York Bankers Association, Office of Thrift Supervision, Ready.gov, State Farm General Insurance, Union Bank of California, and Wells Fargo. A Spanish version of the EFFAK is being prepared for a future release.

Citizen Corps and OHI unveiled the EFFAK at the affiliation signing ceremony at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In his remarks, Brian Roseboro, U.S. Treasury Department Under Secretary for Domestic Finance, said, "When President Bush signed the Financial Literacy and Education Improvement Act last December, he committed us to improving the financial literacy of all Americans. Many of our efforts here at the Treasury Department are focused on finding ways to reach more people with better information so that Americans have the knowledge and skills to make good financial decisions throughout their lives. The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit continues that commitment to preparing Americans for a more secure financial future."

Signing the agreement for the Department of Homeland Security, C. Suzanne Mencer, Executive Director of the Office of State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness, said, "With this partnership in place, we can increase awareness of the importance of financial planning and bring resources to bear during disaster recovery." JoAnn Johnson, Chairwoman of the National Credit Union Administration added, "We all recognize with recent natural disasters, planning is important; however, an often overlooked aspect is planning for family emergency financial situations. The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit is an excellent tool for families to prepare for the future."

On September 29, 2004, the City of Los Angeles, California Citizen Corps, and OHI unveiled the EFFAK at a signing ceremony at Los Angeles City Hall. At the ceremony, Councilmember Eric Garcetti noted, "Homes don't just crumble; they're also foreclosed upon. Cars don't just get turned over; they get repossessed. The most important thing you can do after guaranteeing your family's physical safety is to guarantee their financial security. And to do that, you need to be prepared ahead of time with one of these kits." Ellis M. Stanley, Sr., General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department promised, "I will be the first in my office to complete the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit and will encourage all General Managers and their staff to do likewise. It is important that we practice what we preach. This is a tool for everyone."

The signing ceremonies in Washington, DC and Los Angeles launch a private-sector employee, consumer, and community EFFAK workshop series co-hosted and sponsored by OHI corporate partners, host cities, Citizen Corps Councils, and HOPE Coalition America. The first workshops will be conducted at the Los Angeles City Council District 2 North Hollywood Office on November 6, 2004, the Maywood HOPE Center on November 20, 2004, the Watts/Willowbrook HOPE Center on December 4, 2004, the Long Beach HOPE Center on January 15, 2005, and the Sunland Tujunga Municipal Auditorium on February 5, 2005. Individuals interested in attending the free workshops are encouraged to call 888-388-HOPE for more information.

About Operation HOPE, Inc.

Operation HOPE, Inc. (OHI) is America's first nonprofit social investment bank and a national provider of financial literacy and economic empowerment programs. Through ongoing collaborations and long-term partnerships with leading government, private sector, and community interests, OHI works to bring self-sufficiency and a sustained spirit of revitalization to America's inner-city communities. OHI's HOPE Centers, a growing network of inner-city banking centers, have created more than 800 new homeowners and small business owners, more than $125 million in funded loans, and more than $210 million in commitments for homeownership and small business loans from their 250 bank and corporate partners. OHI's Banking on Our Future program has delivered financial literacy education and related services to more than 135,000 children across the country. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and a network of private and community partners, OHI's HOPE Coalition America has provided free financial counseling and casework services to more than 1,000 Americans affected by natural disasters and national emergencies in 125 cities in 35 states. Taken together, these programs make Operation HOPE the national leader in economic empowerment tools and services for the under-served in America. OHI and its programs can be found online at www.operationhope.org, www.bankingonourfuture.org, and www.hopecoalitionamerica.org.

About Citizen Corps

Citizen Corps is the Department of Homeland Security's nationwide grass roots movement to actively involve everyone in America in making our communities and our nation safer, stronger, and better prepared for all hazards. We all have a role in hometown security and Citizen Corps provides local opportunities for everyone to participate through family and community preparedness -- including the steps outlined on www.ready.gov; training opportunities in basic first aid; and volunteer programs to support local emergency responders. Citizen Corps serves as the umbrella organization for Neighborhood Watch, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, Volunteers in Police Service, Medical Reserve Corps, and 21 affiliate organizations to involve citizens within their community. Citizen participation is coordinated by over 1,400 county, local, and tribal Citizen Corps Councils, which bring together the expertise of emergency responders with the energy and spirit of volunteers, the private sector, and other community stakeholders. Please visit www.citizencorps.gov to learn more and to find the Council nearest you.