John Hope Bryant, founder of Operation HOPE, honored at Georgia State Capitol.

Operation HOPE founder, chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant was presented with a resolution in the House of Representatives chamber during the 2023 Georgia legislative session. State Representative Dexter Sharper applauded Bryant for his ongoing efforts to empower low-income communities through financial literacy and other programs that help create generational wealth. Bryant has also been recognized as an American entrepreneur, thinker, and philanthropist. He was joined by family members and the management of HOPE.

Operation HOPE’s mission is to end poverty for millions of low- and middle-income families across the country, with a focus on financial dignity and inclusion. The Atlanta-based organization provides communities with free credit and money management training, as well as one-to-one counseling with a trained, experienced personal financial coach. Outreach also provides young people and adults with financial tools and education to help secure a better future.

The resolution commemorating Bryant recognizes his three decades of service, including but not limited to establishing the 1 Million Black Business Initiative (1MBB) to increase black entrepreneurship, the annual HOPE Global Forums and Financial Literacy for All (FL4A), collaborative education efforts that are supported by a number of Fortune 500 companies nationwide. The CEOs of Delta Air Lines, Walmart, First Republic Bank, and a host of other business leaders have referred to Bryant as the “Conscience of Capitalism.”

“John Hope Bryant is a man of generous strength with an unblemished reputation as an honest, intelligent, fair and kind man,” Representative Sharper said in the resolution. “It is quite appropriate and appropriate that the outstanding achievements of this remarkable and distinguished Georgian are given due recognition.”

Operation HOPE is now the largest financial literacy organization in America with over 200 HOPE Inside offices in 46 states, and Promise Homes has become the largest minority-controlled single-family home rental company in the country. Collectively, Bryant’s organizations have served more than 4 million people and channeled more than $3.5 billion in capital for the underprivileged over the past 30 years.

“I am honored to be recognized as Representative Sharper and members of the House of Representatives. This is meaningful work and I intend to continue to serve as many individuals and families as possible, especially our youth,” said Bryant. “I look forward to working with other leaders in the public and private sectors to help educate, improve and change financial performance across all of our communities.”

In addition to being honored by organizations around the world for his influential impact on financial literacy, five former US presidents have recognized Bryant’s work. He has served as an advisor to three sitting US presidents from both political parties and continues to advise leaders in a variety of industries. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Treasury officials also called on Bryant to help design, develop, and launch the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), which has helped countless American small businesses and entrepreneurs through tough times.