82.1 F
San Fernando
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Operation Hope Banks on Need for Business Skills

Operation Hope is looking for San Fernando Valley residents and entrepreneurs who want to improve their credit score or receive small-business management training. The L.A. nonprofit has partnered with OneWest Bank’s Northridge branch to launch Hope Inside Northridge, a small-business development program. Held at OneWest’s branch on 8726 Tampa Ave., the program looks to connect aspiring business owners and community members seeking financial literacy and credit management skills with business experts who speak at workshops and offer counseling free of charge. “This is a new program and what we’re doing here is teaching adults about money management and raising credit scores,” said Gail Lara, program coordinator for Hope Inside Northridge. “I’ve seen credits raised up to 150 points.” Founded in 1992, Operation Hope works to educate the poor, underserved and middle class in financial literacy, homeownership and small-business development. The organization has served more than 2.5 million individuals since its inception and has directed more than $1.8 billion in private capital to communities nationwide. The goal is to turn payday check-cashing customers into bank account holders and small-business dreamers into small-business owners. Hope Inside Northridge offers entrepreneurship training Thursdays and credit and money management counseling sessions at various times throughout the week. Guests from the Valley Economic Development Center, Icon Community Development Corp. and Internal Revenue Service have spoken on topics including business loan packaging, licensing and free tax services. Later this month, Hope Inside Northridge’s first students will graduate from its 12-week entrepreneurship course. The 16 graduates will participate in a ceremony Oct. 29. “More than half of them have already prepared for funders, angel investors and bank loans to help them get their small business (off the ground),” Lara said. Operation Hope is moving to open two additional Hope Inside locations in Tarzana and another outpost in the Valley within the coming year, each in partnership with OneWest. Operation Hope has launched similar Hope Inside programs in Georgia, Florida and Michigan. “We have held several classes and people are leaving saying, ‘Wow, I feel empowered to do something about my credit instead of it controlling me,’” Lara said. Fright Fest Sylmar’s Wildlife Learning Center was scheduled to host its annual Furrific Fright Fest fundraiser Oct. 17. The event was to include food and drinks sponsored by Amara Kitchen & Catering in Los Angeles and be held at the center on 16027 Yarnell St. The fundraiser was to feature costume contests, pumpkin-carving contests and interactive games. The event planned to offer eight exotic animals, including a two-toed sloth, fennec fox, porcupine, owl and a tortoise, at petting stations throughout the course of the evening. Kids tickets could be had for $55; $80 for adults. Discount packages were available for groups. “Being a nonprofit, we hold this event as our annual animal care campaign to (ensure) that the more than 100 animals we provide lifetime care for at the center continue to receive high-quality and varied diets (and) quality veterinary care,” Paul Hahn, co-founder of the center, said in a statement. “These displaced wildlife (animals) each have their own unique story. … The Wildlife Learning Center is their last hope.” Founded in 1998, the Sylmar center rescues endangered animals and takes in unwanted and at-risk pets. Currently, the organization houses 62 different species – which amount to more than 100 animals – within its 1-acre facility. The amount raised from the event had yet to be tallied, but Hahn said all of it will go toward running the center, which costs more than $2,000 a day. Corporate Giving Valley Industry Association of Santa Clarita received a $5,000 grant from U.S. Bank this month. The money will go toward the association’s Connecting to Success program as an investment in Santa Clarita Valley’s high school students. The program serves more than 2,500 students from the William S. Hart Union High School District. Participants receive workforce training through a series of workshops facilitated by more than 80 business leaders. Topics include Building Your Image for Success, Money Smarts and Ethics: Doing the Right Thing. “This is a phenomenal gift to the program. Grants such as this are a huge help in offsetting the costs of making Connecting to Success happen,” said Kathy Norris, the association’s chief executive, in a statement. “It’s also a great vote of confidence by the business community in what we are doing to prepare students for the workforce.” Staff reporter Champaign Williams can be reached at (818) 316-3121 or [email protected].

Featured Articles

Related Articles