Washington, DC - The Office of Volunteers for Prosperity (VfP) at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Operation HOPE, Inc. (HOPE), a leading non-profit organization, have agreed to jointly promote international volunteer service by American professionals in developing countries.

“Operation HOPE has achieved great success in addressing the economic challenges of under-served minority communities throughout the United States. Its approach has enabled people to share in the American dream as homeowners and entrepreneurs,” said Jack Hawkins, Director of the Office of Volunteers for Prosperity (VfP).  “An important focus of VfP is to promote economic growth in the developing world by having the nation’s most talented professionals, as volunteers, advise and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs.  The combined efforts of our two organizations will certainly make a difference in the lives of so many around the world. ”

"Operation HOPE is excited to be working in partnership with VfP because we share a common goal - the goal of empowering underserved communities everywhere through economic education and the provision of much needed knowledge and expertise,” said John Bryant, HOPE founder, chairman and CEO.   “I believe that volunteerism is a uniquely American asset, and our partnership will focus on using our collective influence to help developing countries find the solutions they need through the volunteerism of Americans. I believe that if the main issue of the 20th century was about race and the color line, all over the world, then the 21st century will be about issues of class and poverty.  Financial literacy and economic empowerment are two key factors in bridging the gap that separates us."

HOPE created HOPE Global Initiatives, a program designed to apply the U.S. experience to promoting and supporting economic prosperity to peoples throughout the developing world with a particular emphasis on developing countries on the African continent. The role has recently expanded to serve underserved communities throughout the world.

“As we’ve seen in many communities here in the U.S., economic empowerment is key to improving the quality of life in developing countries,” added Bryant.  “Our partnership will help to bring financial self-sufficiency and sustained spirit of revitalization to inner city and disadvantaged communities everywhere.

HOPE Global Initiatives will be implemented by Operation HOPE’s vast network of corporate and non-profit affiliates.  This network will identify and recruit American professionals who will serve as volunteers under flexible arrangements of time, duration and location.

As the U.S. Government’s coordinator of President Bush’s Volunteers for Prosperity initiative, VfP promotes the international voluntary service of American professionals in support of the nation’s global health and prosperity agenda.

Among the joint activities of the two organizations will be public relations efforts to promote the new VfP/Operation HOPE model for collaboration to support international volunteer service.

Operation HOPE, Inc. is a non-profit organization, which was founded in 1992 to empower minorities in underserved US communities by connecting them to mainstream, private-sector economic resources made available through ongoing collaborations and long-term partnerships with leading government, private sector, and community interests. HOPE and its programs can be found online at www.operationhope.org.

Volunteers for Prosperity was established by Executive Order in September 2003.  VfP works with leading U.S. non-profits and companies to deploy highly skilled American professionals in volunteer opportunities that support the global health and prosperity goals of the U.S. Government.  VfP is part of the USA Freedom Corps, the White House’s coordinating council on volunteerism.  For more information, please visit www.volunteersforprosperity.gov.

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