JPMorgan Chase Awards $100,000 Grant to Cincinnati Works

CINCINNATI - July 22, 2014 - PRLog -- JPMorgan Chase awarded a $100,000 grant to Cincinnati Works in support of the continued growth and integration of the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), which assists families to become more financially secure in three critical areas: increased wages, improved finances, and access to public benefits.

“We’ve been proud to support the Financial Opportunity Center since it began four years ago,” says Kevin Ward, market president for Chase in Southwest Ohio. “The program is a first-class example of integrated workforce and financial services that strengthen lives and create economic opportunity.”

“We have found that one of the biggest impediments to sustained economic self-sufficiency is a lack of the financial literacy necessary to manage income,” says Peggy Zink, president of Cincinnati Works. “JPMorgan Chase’s generous, continued support allows Cincinnati Works to maintain and expand the success of this integral piece of our holistic approach to eliminating poverty through employment.”

The goal of the FOC is to change the financial behaviors of participants in a way that encourages a long-term commitment to increasing income, decreasing expenses, building credit, and acquiring assets so that participants can truly become economically self-sufficient.

As a workforce development agency for the region, Cincinnati Works has helped residents overcome the effects of the Great Recession and capitalize on the opportunities most present in the area. The organization’s reach has expanded to now benefit businesses throughout the tri-state with a dynamic workforce.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.  is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.5 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management and private equity. The Firm and its Foundation give approximately $200 million annually to nonprofit organizations around the world and lead volunteer service activities for employees in local communities, utilizing its many resources, including access to capital, strength, global reach and expertise. In Ohio, the company employs more than 23,000 and serves consumers and businesses through nearly 300 bank branches and over 900 ATMs across the state. More information is available at http://www.jpmorganchase.com/

About Cincinnati Works

Founded in 1996 by Dave and Liane Phillips, Cincinnati Works has helped thousands of job seekers below the federal poverty guidelines find employment and work toward economic self-sufficiency. Using a holistic approach, the organization offers its Members lifetime access to Employer Partners while providing them with comprehensive support services including one-one-one employment coaching, legal advocacy, transportation assistance and guidance in financial literacy.

Cincinnati Works provides the community a previously untapped source of entry- and mid-level workers, decreased need of public resources, and solution-focused strategy to eliminate poverty in the region – leading to the reduction in poverty-related problems including crime, poor health, and a lack of education. Employer Partners include Children's Hospital Medical Center, The Christ Hospital, Fifth Third, Aegis Protective Services, 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati, Down Decor, & more. http://www.cincinnatiworks.org/