Sulphur Springs revitalization gets $225,000 in support from JPMorgan Chase

TAMPA, Fla. (October 21, 2015) – JPMorgan Chase, one of the earliest supporters of Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay’s (RTTB) efforts to revitalize Tampa’s Sulphur Springs neighborhood, has awarded a new $225,000 grant to further aid RTTB’s Building a Healthier Sulphur Springs initiative. The firm has invested $600,000 in the last five years towards the initiative.

In 2010, RTTB and JPMorgan Chase formed a partnership to revitalize Sulphur Springs and renovate and restore homes in the neighborhood. RTTB has now completed the rehabilitation of 57 owner-occupied homes and has contributed towards building seven of the 11 new single-family homes funded by the City of Tampa’s Housing and Community Development Department.

“We want Sulphur Springs to thrive and be a vibrant community for generations to come and for that we need safe, decent, affordable housing and opportunities to prosper. When our local neighborhoods do well, we all win in Tampa,” said Mike Dosal, head of commercial banking and market leader for JPMorgan Chase in the Greater Tampa Bay Area.

In addition to their support for RTTB, the firm has also supported education and workforce programming in the community. Chase volunteers also work on supporting the home rebuilds in the area.

Once a major vacation destination, Sulphur Springs became one of Tampa’s most distressed neighborhoods. However, over the last few years an outpouring of resources – like Building a Healthier Sulphur Springs – has helped improve the neighborhood in a number of areas, such as education, mental health, first-time home buying, financial literacy, child development, wellness, and housing.

Building a Healthier Sulphur Springs is a comprehensive community revitalization program that provides immediate quality-of-life improvements for homeowners in need. RTTB provides housing condition assessments, installs several home improvement products via its Healthy Home Kit, offers home maintenance and fiscal educational workshops, and coordinates neighborhood beautification and wellness campaigns.

“The level of commitment JPMorgan Chase has shown to Sulphur Springs makes it feasible for RTTB and our partners to expand our services and continue to focus on strengthening Sulphur Springs,” said Jose Garcia, executive editor of RTTB.

About JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.4 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

About Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay

Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides critical home repairs, accessibility modifications and energy-efficient upgrades for homeowners in need. RTTB primarily works with low-income families, veterans, the elderly, victims of disasters and persons with disabilities. The organization also rehabilitates donated homes that are then sold to those in need of affordable housing. RTTB relies on the support of corporate sponsors, public grants, individual donors, and the hands-on work of hundreds of volunteers and skilled labor each year. Founded in 2000, RTTB has rehabilitated more than 500 homes in the Tampa Bay area, providing a total value of more than $4 million in improvements. More information is available at www.rttb.org.

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