2,700 Houstonians Receive Healthcare Services or Workforce Training from SBCHC, PEP & Bank of America

Bank of America announced Spring Branch Community Health Center (SBCHC) and Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) have been named the 2016 Neighborhood Builders. SBCHC is being recognized for their critical work in increasing access to basic necessities for families and individuals in West Houston, and PEP is being recognized for providing workforce development and education training and programs to help Houston’s incarcerated men reintegrate into the community as contributing citizens.

Through Neighborhood Builders, the bank provides nonprofits with a unique combination of leadership development, $200,000 in flexible funding, a network of peer organizations across the U.S. and the opportunity to access capital in order to expand their impact in Houston.

“We recognize the critical role that nonprofits and their leaders play to build pathways to economic progress in Houston and that is why for more than ten years, we’ve connected outstanding organizations like SBCHC and PEP with the funding and leadership development resources to scale their impact,” said Hong Ogle, Houston President, Bank of America. “This investment will propel SBCHC and PEP toward expanding their services to reach more individuals and families and help our communities thrive.”

As a Neighborhood Builder, SBCHC will be able to increase access to healthcare services by expanding amenities and adding locations to meet community demand. Specifically, the funding will help launch an oral health program in West Houston, where a recent SBCHC survey found that 98% of local patients surveyed understood the importance of going to the dentist but less than half had the means to visit the dentist.

“Going to the dentist regularly is nearly impossible for our West Houston patients without insurance and research shows that addressing oral heal is one of the single best ways to improve their overall health,” explains SBCHC Chief Executive Officer, Marlen Trujillo. “The funding and support from Bank of America is invaluable as it will allow us to expand our program to serve an additional 1,500 West Houston patients with quality preventative, emergency and limited dental restorative services.”

PEP engages incarcerated men in college-level educational and life-skills training, and also implements a structured reintegration system including housing, following their release. The Neighborhood Builder grant and training will allow PEP to expand its Business Plan Competition program to a third prison and builds upon program’s success of graduating 1,500+ men and more than 280 businesses launched by PEP graduates.

“With this significant investment in PEP’s mission over the next two years, the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder grant will help us serve more than 1,200 men next year in prison and after release,” said Bert Smith, CEO of PEP. “It will help us to transform many communities and neighborhoods as our men return to society as conscientious and dedicated employees, enthusiastic entrepreneurs, and committed fathers to their children.”

In Houston, Bank of America has invested $4.8 million in 24 nonprofit organizations as part of this program, providing them with the tools and resources they need to develop stronger strategic plans, chart a succession plan, navigate through tough economic times, and enhance their funding opportunities. Nationally, the program has been recognized as the nation’s largest philanthropic investment in nonprofit leadership development.

Neighborhood Builders is a signature demonstration of the bank’s work to address issues fundamental to economic mobility in order to build thriving communities and illustrates how strong cross-sector partnerships and local community leaders can play a meaningful role in positioning communities for success.