Operation HOPE And Wells Fargo Expand Free Financial Coaching To Harlem

Wells Fargo and Operation HOPE, Inc., a national nonprofit dedicated to financial empowerment for underserved communities, today announced the expansion of a HOPE Inside center in Harlem.

The HOPE Inside centers are located inside a Wells Fargo branch in each market, and feature Operation HOPE financial coaches who help empower community members to achieve their financial goals through free financial education workshops and one-on-one coaching. In Harlem, the HOPE Inside coach is located at 143 Malcolm X Blvd near Central Park.

“… we can help remove barriers to financial inclusion …”

“We know from our outreach and work with national and community stakeholders that financial education and guidance, and an individual’s sense of inclusion and trust, are all important factors in bringing more people who are unbanked into the formal banking system,” said Michael Martino, Head of Consumer, Small and Business Banking Diverse Customer Segments. “Working with Operation HOPE is one important way that we can help remove barriers to financial inclusion and empower people with education, resources and tools to manage their money, improve their credit and achieve their financial goals. It’s exciting to see this collaboration grow and make a great impact in even more communities.”

HOPE Inside centers are located within low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhood branches that are specially designed around the needs of diverse communities. The branches feature redesigned spaces created to deliver one-on-one consultations, improve digital access, and offer financial health seminars.

The Harlem HOPE Inside location continues Wells Fargo’s commitment to make financial education and guidance more accessible to those most in need and open HOPE Inside centers in 50 LMI communities by the end of 2026.

“The Wells Fargo HOPE Inside centers mark a significant step forward in addressing barriers to financial wealth in diverse communities by offering a welcoming space, access to financial coaches, and expanded resources that support the financial goals of individuals with the greatest needs,” said John Hope Bryant, Chairman and CEO, Operation HOPE, Inc. “This collaborative effort drives meaningful change and ultimately helps address the deeply rooted barriers to financial empowerment in underserved communities.”

“… help remove barriers to financial inclusion …”

HOPE Inside is part of Wells Fargo’s Banking Inclusion Initiative to help more people who are unbanked gain access to affordable, mainstream banking products, and help remove barriers to financial inclusion for Black and African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American/Alaska Native households, which account for more than half of unbanked households in the United States.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 47 on Fortune’s 2023 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Photo credit: Left to right: Miguel Garcia (Wells Fargo Branch Manager), Mary Ersham (Operation HOPE), Michael Martino (Head of Diverse Customer Segments, Wells Fargo), Terry Pena (HOPE Inside coach), Matt Garvey (Wells Fargo District Manager).