Public Statement From John Hope Bryant of Operation HOPE About the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions

John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE, makes the following statement about the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions:

I was extremely pleased and honored to have received an invitation to speak on behalf of the organization I founded 16 years ago, Operation HOPE, at both the 2008 Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention.

I spoke last week at the DNC in Denver, and was scheduled to speak this week before the RNC. Due to weather and travel-related issues beyond my control, returning to the United States from Venezuela, I was unable to make this week's scheduled engagement in Minneapolis. That said, Operation HOPE was represented and acknowledged for its work.

As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Operation HOPE is non-partisan by law.

Pursuing the mission-driven issues of financial literacy, economic education, dignity and the economic empowerment of the under-served communities that HOPE serves, both here and abroad, or what Operation HOPE calls its growing "silver rights" movement, Operation HOPE sees the critical work it does by necessity as bi-partisan.

This is why we have worked closely with former U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton, along with current U.S. President George W. Bush. Furthermore, I was honored to be recognized for my work in business and community by both former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and former U.S. President George H.W. Bush during their Administrations.

As I often say, "you cannot eradicate poverty along partisan lines." I have gone on to say that "my community is in a crisis. And so, I don't care whether one is Republican or Democrat, black or white, rich or poor, conservative or liberal. And so, with our generation it is not so much an issue of the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, but the non-existent Get It Done Party. And I just want to get it done."

Financial literacy, silver rights and eradicating poverty in our lifetime, in this country, are not partisan issues. The Operation HOPE family of organizations remain committed to working with those that seek to bring hope and opportunity to the under-served communities we serve.

As the founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE, as well as the vice chairman of the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, I was honored to be asked to speak at both the DNC and the RNC this year.

A special thank you to the Financial Services Roundtable, along with its President and CEO Steve Bartlett, for extending this special invitation for me to speak on behalf of our "silver rights" movement and financial literacy empowerment in the under-served communities we serve.

The work continues.

Background on Operation HOPE

Founded immediately following the worst urban riot in U.S. history, Operation HOPE is America's leading nonprofit social investment banking and financial literacy empowerment organization. With more than 400 private sector partners, 1500 nonprofit organizations and schools, and 100 government partners serving 68 under-served communities in the U.S. cities as well as South Africa, Operation HOPE has raised more than $400 million in its pursuit of educating, assisting and inspiring the next generation of global "silver rights" stakeholders. Through international initiatives and its principal programs: Banking on Our Future (teaching school children about money), HOPE Coalition America (Mortgage HOPE Crisis Hotline, 1-888- 388-HOPE, financial emergency preparedness and disaster relief), HOPE Advisors and the HOPE Banking Center Network (loans, bill pay, computer literacy, understanding banking principles), Operation HOPE has assumed the responsibility of piloting the Silver Rights Movement towards making free enterprise and capitalism relevant to all under-served communities. Civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young is the global spokesman for Operation HOPE. More information about the organization can be found at www.operationhope.org.