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05/13/2011 Bank of the West
Bank of the West
WHO WE ARE:
At Bank of the West, we are dedicated to helping improve the social and economic health of the communities we serve, particularly by promoting financial education. Bank of the West supports a variety of financial literacy programs and nonprofit organizations, such as Operation Hope, Inc., Junior Achievement, The National Theatre for Children and other Jump$tart partners. Our comprehensive approach to financial literacy engages people of all ages and backgrounds, complements education with incentives and reinforces local efforts with a national strategy. To learn more about Bank of the West’s commitment to community, visit www.bankofthewest.com/community.
Founded in 1874 and headquartered in San Francisco, $61 billion-asset Bank of the West offers a full range of business, personal, trust, and international banking services. The bank operates more than 700 branch and commercial locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Bank of the West's holding company, BancWest Corporation, is owned by BNP Paribas, a leading global financial services institution ranked by Standard & Poor's as one of the world's six strongest banks.
OUR PARTNERS:
Operation Hope:
Since 2000, Bank of the West and Operation Hope, Inc. have cooperated to provide underserved urban communities financial education and services. This relationship has grown substantially over time and has included establishment of a “HOPE Center” counseling center within Bank of the West’s Fruitvale branch in Oakland, and partnering to teach the Banking on Our Future (BOOF) financial education program in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Portland, and Denver. Once students have completed the BOOF program with a Bank of the West teacher, they are eligible to open a free custodial savings account at Bank of the West, where they can put their financial knowledge about saving into action. After six months, Bank of the West matches the student’s accumulated savings up to $50.
Junior Achievement:
Bank of the West works with Junior Achievement in cities throughout its footprint, including Albuquerque, NM; Denver, CO; Oklahoma City, OK; Tucson, AZ; Reno and Las Vegas, NV; Fresno, Los Angeles and San Jose, CA to provide JA’s financial education curriculum in our communities’ local schools. Bank of the West volunteers also participate in Junior Achievement’s Finance Park, where students assume the role of “adult for a day” and create a monthly budget reflecting their unique life situation.
Mad About Money:
The National Theatre for Children’s “Mad About Money” production is an educational theatre program focused on teaching key financial topics including managing spending, prioritizing needs, saving, investing and paying interest. This is the third year that Bank of the West is sponsoring The National Theatre for Children to present a “Mad About Money” tour this fall at middle schools throughout the bank’s footprint.
Three Cups:
Written by Mark St. German and illustrated by April Willy, Three Cups teaches children from an early age how to save, spend and be charitable. Bank of the West has partnered with the creators of Three Cups to use this book as a financial education lesson at schools, libraries and other community organizations throughout the bank’s footprint. To learn more about Three Cups visit their website at: http://www.3cupsbook.com.
Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN):
Bank of the West partners with EFPN to raise public awareness on the prevention of elder financial abuse. In 2010, Bank of the West sponsored EFPN’s documentary film, Be Wise, Be Aware, Prevent Elder Financial Abuse, which features stories from financial elder abuse survivors and experts addressing the topic of how to protect elders from financial exploitation. This documentary is currently available on YouTube and can be viewed at: http://www.bewiseonline.org/media/nbc/nbcdocumentary.shtml.
WHAT’S NEW:
Celebrating April as Financial Literacy Month:
To celebrate financial literacy month, Bank of the West partnered with trade associations, financial literacy nonprofits and community organizations to teach and promote the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy financial habits.
On April 12th, Bank of the West volunteers taught 500 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students in San Francisco and San Ramon, California the importance of spending, saving and charity as part of the American Bankers Association’s Teach Children to Save Day. For the event in San Francisco, our volunteers were joined by California State Department to Financial Institution’s Deputy Commissioner, Debie Abella who helped lead the students in a needs vs. wants activity and read Three Cups.
At the beginning of April, Bank of the West team members along with financial education partners, Operation HOPE and Bank on San Jose, discussed how to talk to children about money on California’s Bay Area radio shows - Childhood Matters and Nuestros Niños. Both radio shows provide a 1 hour program that informs and inspires parents on how to raise happy and healthy children. A recorded version of the show can be accessed at www.childhoodmatters.org and www.nuestrosninos.com
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Rebeca Rangel
SVP, Community Affairs Manager
Bank of the West
180 Montgomery Street, 10 floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-399-8271
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