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Bank of America Names 100 Black Men of Indianapolis and Hawthorne Community Center as 2021 Neighborhood Builders®

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PRESS RELEASE
October 28, 2021

[INDIANAPOLIS] – Today, Bank of America announced two local nonprofits, 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Inc. (The 100) and Hawthorne Community Center, have been named 2021 Neighborhood Builders® awardees for their work addressing economic mobility and workforce development in Central Indiana. Programs offered by these two organizations that enhance economic and educational opportunity will receive a much-needed boost, helping even more people in Indianapolis through a multi-year grant from Bank of America As a Neighborhood Builder, each organization receives: a $200,000 grant over two years; comprehensive leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management, and strategic storytelling; joins a network of peer organizations across the U.S.; and gets the opportunity to access capital to expand their impact. The program continues to be the nation’s largest investment into nonprofit leadership development. “As communities continue to recover and navigate a changing landscape, nonprofits are still experiencing significant demands and are in need of resources to help meet critical local needs and fuel economic and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities,” said Andy Crask, president, Bank of America Indianapolis. “The 100 and Hawthorne Community Center are bridging important gaps for individuals and families to help them chart a path toward economic opportunity and stability. Programs like Neighborhood Builders help these organizations grow sustainably and strategically for greater positive impact in the community.”

Founded in 1984, The 100 was established as a local chapter of the national organization, 100  Black Men of America. At both the national and local levels, 100 Black Men seeks to improve the quality of life of the communities it serves and to enhance educational and economic opportunities for African Americans. Exemplified by their motto, “What they see is what they’ll be,” The 100 currently offers six core programs to youth from pre-kindergarten through college to increase self-esteem, personal responsibility, and motivation to succeed in school. One of these programs, Beautillion Militaire, is a 16-week program focused on college readiness and is a rite of passage for young men in the 11 th and 12 th grades. “Being named a 2021 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder will ensure The 100’s rich history in Central Indiana remains intact, while also placing our organization on a pathway to success as we navigate the 21 st century,” said William Durham, Jr., executive director of 100 Black Men of Indianapolis. “This investment will also allow us to pursue a new initiative focused on workforce development for our students, especially those who want to jump right into the workforce upon graduation from high school.”

Since 1923, Hawthorne Community Center has been focused on meeting the economic,
educational, financial, social, recreational, and civic needs of residents living in four Near Westside neighborhoods. Hawthorne’s service area also has one of the lowest percentages in Central Indiana of individuals with a high school diploma (54%) and the lowest percentage of individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher (12%). As a result, many of the families in the neighborhood surrounding Hawthorne are underemployed or unemployed and unable to become financially independent. Hawthorne seeks to change this trajectory through skills development for a changing labor market and by providing educational opportunities focused on high-wage and high-demand jobs. “At Hawthorne Community Center, we work toward creating financial stability for our clients, ensuring their basic needs are met, and helping them gain and maintain employment through an ‘any job, better job, career (ABC)’ approach,” explained Caleb Sutton, Hawthorne’s executive director. “This grant and partnership with Bank of America will allow us to expand upon our Center for Working Families model, incorporating the entire family in our outreach, and moving them on the path to high-paying jobs and, ultimately, self-sufficiency.” Since 2004, Bank of America has invested more than $280 million in 50 communities through Neighborhood Builders, partnering with more than 1,400 nonprofits and helping more than 2,800 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills. Here in Indianapolis, seven nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders, with the bank investing $1.4 million into these local organizations through the program since 2018. The invitation-only program is highly competitive, and leading members of the community participated in a collaborative selection process to identify this year’s awardees. Neighborhood Builders is just one example of how Bank of America deploys capital in communities, builds cross-sector partnerships, and promotes socioeconomic progress as part of its approach to responsible growth.

Bank of America

 At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

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www.bankofamerica.com

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Reporters May Contact:
Diane Wagner, Bank of America, 1.312.992.2370
diane.wagner@bankofamerica.com
Emily Koschnick for Bank of America, 1.317.902.0001
Emily.Koschnick@ext.bcw-global.com