Bank of America employees volunteer to assist non-profits in metro Detroit

Bank of America celebrated its annual “Day of Giving” by connecting more than 100 employee volunteers with the bank’s community partners working to support economic opportunity in metro Detroit.

Employee volunteers and bank leadership also enjoyed a luncheon with bank partners and concluded the day with a special “GIVE” celebration at Sound Board Detroit, which welcomed bank partners, this year’s Student Leaders and the 2024 Neighborhood Builders honorees.

Bank of America awarded $4 million in grants to numerous Metro Detroit-area nonprofits and bank employee volunteers have spent more than 18,000 hours helping to strengthen the work of these local nonprofit partners in 2024.

These nonprofit partners are improving the lives of individuals and families throughout Michigan by investing in health, jobs, basic needs, emergency shelter, affordable housing and financial education.

Helping the community thrive

Across Michigan, the bank contributed more than $9.1 million to nonprofits through grants, investments, sponsorships and engagements.

“The critical work done daily by our nonprofit community partners helps Michigan businesses, individuals and families achieve significant economic stability and growth,” said Star Crawford, a market executive for Bank of America Detroit.

“Between the dedication of our employee volunteers to these important causes and the grant funding Bank of America provides, we are playing our part to improve lives and strengthen our Metro Detroit community.”

More than 50 organizations have received grants this year, including four first-time recipients of Bank of America funding, including:

• American Indian Health and Family Services of Southeastern Michigan;
• Henry Ford Health System;
• Life Remodeled; and
• Michigan Central Center for Mobility and Society.

At GIVE, the bank also announced Empowerment Plan and National Faith Homebuyers as metro Detroit’s 2024 Neighborhood Builders®.

Vital support

As one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development, each nonprofit receives $200,000 grant over two years, comprehensive leadership training for an executive director and an emerging leader and access to a national network of nonprofit peers.

Empowerment Plan is dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Metro Detroit through employment.

The nonprofit provides jobs to individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, training them to manufacture innovative EMPWR coats, which transform into sleeping bags.

By equipping these individuals with job skills and stability, Empowerment Plan empowers them to achieve financial independence, while also distributing life-saving coats to those in need.

Distributing life-saving coats

Since its inception, Empowerment Plan has distributed over 85,000 coats across 50 states and 21 countries.

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as a 2024 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder,” said Veronika Scott, founder and CEO of Empowerment Plan. “This award is not only a testament to the transformative work our team has achieved
but also a powerful investment in our future growth and impact.

“The unrestricted grant and leadership development opportunity will allow us to strengthen our mission of breaking the cycle of homelessness through employment. With Bank of America’s support, we are empowered to expand our reach, deepen our community impact, and continue building pathways to stability and success for individuals facing some of life’s toughest transitions.”

National Faith Homebuyers helps Detroit residents in purchasing new homes and staying in the homes in which they already live by providing programs and services like down payment assistance, home buyer counseling, foreclosure assistance and prevent and financial literacy
programs.

Since 2019, Bank of America has awarded $28 million in support to fund partner initiatives, and its employee volunteers have spent thousands of hours helping to strengthen theseimportant organizations.