BofA and the Los Angeles Dodgers Team Up for LA Youth

Through Bank of America’s partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers, each summer several hundred youth from various organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Los Angeles and the Magic Johnson Foundation, arrive at Dodger Stadium to play baseball with Los Angeles Dodgers legends. As a part of “Play Ball LA Clinics,” the young athletes learn about hitting, fielding, throwing and base running from Dodgers greats who also share how their experiences with baseball have helped them to achieve success both on and off the field.

For many of these youth, the combination of being at Dodgers stadium for the first, time, playing on the big field, and receiving tips from Dodgers greats is a life changing experience.

Seeing opportunity in the renewable energy market, Power-One secures financing to grow to meet demand

Solar arrays and wind farms are the first step in generating clean energy. But the energy needs to be efficiently converted so it is usable by utilities, businesses and homes — which is where L.A-based Power-One has found a profitable market. The company is the second largest designer and manufacturer of photovoltaic inverters — the hardware that converts the energy from DC to AC — in the world. It is also one of the ten largest providers of power conversion and power management solutions.

Power-One, seeing an opportunity, entered the renewable energy market in 2006. With a new management team in place, Power-One put its focus on inverters for renewable energy use. The strategy has enabled the company to garner approximately 12 to 15% of the expanding renewable energy market, which is growing at about 25 to 30% a year.

The company is headquartered in Camarillo in the L.A. metropolitan area. California, the nation’s leading hub of clean tech, is both the entrepreneurial center and one of the country’s biggest markets for the industry’s products, having offered incentives to schools and businesses to install solar arrays. With overall growth in

the state’s economy slow, clean tech remains a bright spot.

Power-One connected with Bank of America when, with its ongoing expansion in the U.S. and abroad, it needed a bank with a global presence.

In March 2011, Power-One closed on a 3-year, $150-million revolving line of credit, with the option to increase it by $50 million, to be used for general corporate purposes including expansion of the design, production, service and sales of its renewable energy inverters.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch was well equipped to be the lead bank for the deal as the market leader in

According to Rachel Morris, a commercial bank Client Manager at Bank of America, “This financing will help Power-One continue to grow with the renewable energy market. Power-One’s management team has done a great job executing on their strategy to become one of the world’s leading renewable energy inverter companies. It’s exciting to work with such a dynamic company.”

Join the conversation: Learn how we're working to help

strengthen communities — on the Bank of America Facebook page

A seven-decade banking relationship helps legendary Pink's Hot Dogs grow from hot dog cart to L.A. icon

When it comes to Hollywood icons, there's the Hollywood sign, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and Pink's Hot Dogs. Pink's, located at the corner of Melrose and La Brea, has long attracted crowds drawn to their Famous Chili Dogs, and their addictive fries, burgers, onion rings and burritos.

Paul and Betty Pink started selling Pink's hot dogs from a pushcart parked on that corner in 1939. The country was still in the midst of the Great Depression and the

The Pinks already had a personal banking relationship with Bank of America. They went to talk to the branch manager who was impressed with their enthusiasm and work ethic. The Pinks secured a $4000 loan and purchased the little weed-filled lot and in 1946 they built a small building on the same spot where the cart had stood.

Today, current owners Richard and Beverly Pink, the founder's children, and Richard's wife Gloria preside over the flagship restaurant that sells more than 2500 hot dogs — more than 30 kinds — and 170 pounds of chili a day. Pink's proximity to the studios has made it a local celebrity haunt and a part of the city's urban landscape for seven decades.

According to Richard, "It takes a lot of hard work to do what we do. We work at it every day from dawn to exhaustion. We are constantly trying to figure out how to attract thousands of customers a day to Pink's. With no foot traffic they've got to want to beat a path to your hot dog stand."

Bank of America has worked with the Pink family as they have grown and expanded the business. According to Karla Lee, Regional Business Support Executive at Bank of America,"Like Pink's, every big business started as a small business. It's our ability to partner through the stages of their growth, providing the financial vehicles to help them be successful. And when all goes

Join the conversation: Learn how we're working to help strengthen communities — on the Bank of America Facebook page

Inner-City Arts

In an era of budget cuts to arts funding, nonprofit Inner-City Arts offers arts education—free of charge—to kids from the city’s poorest neighborhoods. Located on Skid Row in downtown L.A., Inner-City Arts provides elementary, middle and high school students, living in L.A.’s most underserved communities, with access to the arts, plus the tools they need to succeed academically.

Co-founded in 1989, Inner-City Arts (ICA) brought kids from 9th Street Elementary School to the program’s first studio space for hands-on instruction in the visual and

Today, Inner-City Arts is housed in a striking urban campus that offers studios, a theater and open spaces for classes and workshops. Students from downtown Los Angeles schools come during the day, after school, and on weekends. The programs give students, mostly

Bank of America has been a supporter of Inner-City Arts for five years. In 2008, it awarded the organization a Neighborhood Builder award, which provided funding for ICA to strengthen its impact by extending its hours, and providing the staffing and resources to enroll more

According to Garrett Gin, a Global Marketing & Corporate Affairs executive with the bank, “L.A. is a creative epicenter — and the bank’s investment in our region’s creative culture drives our economy and connects us as a community. But creativity shouldn’t be limited to certain zip codes or communities. So, through our support of Inner-City Arts, we are helping to ensure that arts education can impact youth from all parts of Los Angeles. The impact of Inner-City Arts may range from inspiring a student to get excited about learning to opening a door into a future in arts, entertainment, or design.”

Join the conversation: Learn how we're working to help strengthen communities — on the Bank of America Facebook page

A safe haven

After his brother died from a drug overdose, Tony Brown decided to choose a path that would help other troubled kids in his tough Los Angeles neighborhood. “I wanted something more fulfilling in my life,” he said. “I felt like if I could get to kids before they made some of the same bad choices my brother made, then that would be a pretty fulfilling way to make a positive [statement] on his legacy."

Brown decided to quit his job in the private sector and get involved with the nonprofit Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), a haven for at-risk youth in the city’s Rampart District. Heart of Los Angeles provides a variety of

Brown’s involvement has benefited thousands of kids, ages 6 to 19, all over Los Angeles. The Heart staff and Brown think of themselves as a family, “creating a safe place for kids to come and advance their lives through academics, arts and athletics,” he said.

He credits his success to the people who believed in him at an early age, and told him so. Now he tries to provide

Looking to the Future
The future of Heart of Los Angles looks bright, according to Brown. He intends to hand off the torch to a new generation of adults who care about the youth of Los Angeles as much as he does, and those adults may be people Brown already knows. “I hope in the future that I won’t have this job because there will be an alumnus who is running the program who’s taking it to the next level,” he said.

Brown believes that the children from today’s Heart of Los Angeles class will be addressing tomorrow’s challenges. “They’re precisely the ones I want helping to solve problems in other neighborhoods because they know what it takes.”

Reaching More Kids
For his work with troubled kids, Bank of America provided Brown with a Local Hero award. Brown is one of hundreds around the country who have received awards as part of the bank’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. The executive director is quick to point out that the award, which will assist Brown in serving more youth from the Los Angeles area, would not have been

Brown plans to use the recognition to send a message to the kids at Heart of Los Angeles that giving back to your community has its rewards. “I think it’s great (that I won) because I’m trying to teach my kids to do the right thing. And a lot of times, the kids look for validation.” By honoring his work, Brown said the award shows the city’s most at-risk kids that this is exactly what they’re supposed to be doing, too.

See more about Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative.

Thinking globally, acting locally

Raising money to buy cows to feed the hungry? High school senior, Jhaimy Fernandez, found this unusual way to help end hunger in other countries, organizing family members and her community to help make it happen.

As a result of her efforts, Fernandez was honored with a Student Leader award from Bank of America, one of hundreds of awards given through the bank’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative.

“I think the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative from Bank of America is really a great way to empower youth. We really are the future leaders of tomorrow and

From Ideas to Action
From the San Gabriel community in East Los Angeles, Fernandez became interested in this unusual fundraising idea after learning about Heifer International, a global, nonprofit organization dedicated to ending hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. The program uses donations to purchase cows for people in poor countries, teaching those who are hungry how to use the animals to feed themselves.

"I was inspired to start this when I heard a pastor talking about the power of the cow. It’s a really powerful

Fernandez thought the fundraising idea was unique and innovative, and as the oldest of 14 grandchildren in her family, it has always been her nature to get people together for a good cause. “What better way to inspire [my family] than to do something good in the community,” Fernandez said.

Making an Impact
Her inspiration quickly turned into a local community initiative. With the support of her large family,

OBAC fundraisers, including yard sales, t-shirt sales and a popular tamale sale, enable Fernandez and her family to come together to raise funds to help end global hunger and poverty. For the tamale sale, the entire family is involved in production, and like the other fundraisers, the proceeds go directly to Heifer International. OBAC has raised more than $5,000 and purchased five cows through Heifer International that will be sent to impoverished nations around the world.

Fernandez has also provided services to other local community organizations, including Junior Blind of America, Maribel Orphanage and White Memorial Medical Center, where she interned.

A Future of Leadership
Fernandez looks forward to the continuation of her community service efforts so she can show her brothers, cousins and others that they can also make a positive impact, whether it’s in their own backyard or in another country.

“Once you actually start thinking about things you can do outside of your community, you start learning about what you can do in your community to help. [You think

Fernandez has great aspirations for her future; she hopes to help others by becoming a neurologist.

See more about Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative.

A catalyst for revitalization in South Los Angeles

The intersection of East Adams Boulevard and Central Avenue represents both the past and the future of South Los Angeles. The area, once a bustling hub of the African American community, began a gradual decline in the late 1950s. Affluent residents moved away, neighborhoods deteriorated, and jobs and businesses were lost. With those businesses went healthy lifestyle and food options.

“The area became a desert,” said Vivian Bowers, owner of nearby, third-generation dry cleaning business. “A food and business desert.”

In addition to offering healthy fare, the grocery store has created job opportunities for area residents like Shelby Trice, a manager-in-training at Fresh & Easy. Shelby was one of 20 employees recruited from a local job fair. She enjoys getting to know the tenants of the development, who are regular customers.

The project was initiated by Meta Housing Corporation and its president, John Huskey. They wanted to build

“South Los Angeles has a number of needs,” said Garrett Gin, senior vice president, global corporate social responsibility, Bank of America. “This project captures so much of what is needed – affordable housing as well as fresh and healthy food. It’s all

The development at Adams and Central has become a beacon of the reemerging community. Since Fresh & Easy opened its doors in February 2010 and the housing opened in June 2010, three markets and a few mixed-use developments have sprung up in South Los Angeles. Area residents are hopeful that this ripple effect will create a more stable, successful community.

Improving economic opportunity through volunteerism and workforce training

Boyle Heights is an emerging community in East Los Angeles, which has long been a gateway for immigrants to the United States. Today, it is home to a large population of young, working class Latinos. Many residents lack education and health insurance. Their connection to White Memorial Medical Center, an anchor of the Boyle Heights neighborhood for 97 years, develops in times of severe need.

Other residents have a much stronger relationship with White Memorial, which is the largest private employer

“Neighborhood excellence is really the aspiration we need to have,” said Garrett Gin, SVP for Global Corporate Social Responsibility at Bank of America. “Neighborhoods need to be vibrant. They need to be strong. The only way to make that happen is to partner with key institutions.

Jennifer Limón started as a volunteer at White Memorial. The single mom from Boyle Heights was uncertain about working in health care, but she soon developed a passion for the job and the institution. Now, Jennifer

“The volunteer program is critical, because it gives young people an opportunity to look at the benefits the health care industry provides and find out if they want to continue their education or do an entry-level position and work their way up,” said Eileen Lange, manager of recruitment and retention at White Memorial. She is committed to hiring, training and promoting people from within the community.

The gift from Bank of America also supports continuing

Supporting women in need through expansion and growth

Los Angeles is the homeless capital of the United States, where it’s estimated that nearly 50,000 people go homeless every night. A third of those individuals are women. More than half of those women are survivors of domestic violence.

Founded in 1978, the Downtown Women’s Center – located in Skid Row, where the highest concentration of homeless are located in the city – is uniquely qualified to meet the critical needs of this growing demographic. The nonprofit organization is the only service provider in the area that exclusively focuses its efforts towards women

The Center offers permanent residences and a drop-in day center, which provides women meals, showers, clothing, workforce development training and onsite medical and mental health services. But most

“We really want people to feel a part of the community, by trying to help them regain a sense of support that they had lost when they became homeless,” said Brianna Freiheit, Chief Program Officer, Downtown Women’s Center. “Recognizing that they need more than just a meal or a place to sleep, but they really need to gain a sense of self-worth.”

Recently, the Downtown Women’s Center has nearly doubled its health, education and other safety-net service capacities through the rehabilitation of a building

The development, called “Project Home,” has resulted in 71 permanent residences and expanded drop-in services, with an emphasis on enhanced case management, counseling and workforce development services, such as a social enterprise where women can make and sell products. In addition, the development has Skid Row’s first medical and mental health clinic for women. Between the organization’s original building, which continues to be utilized, and new facility, Downtown Women’s Center can serve more than 3,500 homeless and low-income women annually.

The Downtown Women’s Center initiated the project, with the backing of the Los Angeles City Council, the Los Angeles Councilmember Jan Perry and the Mayor’s Office. City officials believed in the potential impact of the project and gifted a historic building, which is located a few blocks away from the organization’s original Center, for one dollar.

“It’s not only the construction of a building. It’s providing the basis in which people have rebuilt their lives,” said Councilmember Jan Perry, District 9, whose district includes a majority of the city’s downtown area, little Tokyo, most of Skid Row, and south Los Angeles.

Recognizing the great impact Downtown Women’s Center has within the downtown Los Angeles community

In addition to its lending and giving, Bank of America invests the time and talent of its local associates to help the Downtown Women’s Center. Bank of America associates volunteer at the Center; organize a yearly

“It’s one thing to do something that makes good business sense," said Gail Lannoy. “It also really helps when you’re doing the right thing.”

With the opening of Project Home in 2010, the Downtown Women’s Center has taken a meaningful step towards meeting the needs of a growing population of homeless and low-income women. The hope is that the Downtown Women’s Center will serve as a catalyst for

Enhancing a Green Gathering Place in East Los Angeles

The mission of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) is to improve neighborhoods one block at a time. They do so by enhancing streetscapes, designing monuments and building green spaces in underserved communities. Their work is undertaken in partnership with neighborhood residents who bring vision and enthusiasm to the project.

Several years ago, LANI received a grant from Bank of America to develop Evergreen Park, a well-used space in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles. They invited business owners, council members,

“I think one of the most important factors is that the community involvement builds hope,” said Monica Carlos, program manager at LANI. “People need to realize that their community is important and, when you see any level of investment, that tells them that it is.”

Today, Evergreen Park features an auditorium, lighted basketball courts, a children’s play area, a community center and an indoor gym. There’s also a jogging path that weaves around the cemetery that’s part of the park. The rubberized, five-kilometer route provides residents of all ages with an accessible venue for physical activity. That’s important to the sustainability of Boyle Heights, which reports high rates of obesity and diabetes.

The bank also partnered with the L.A. Dodgers to designate Evergreen Park a Dodger Dream Field. This means that additional resources were provided to make baseball a core activity in the park and in the community. The designation was of great significance to long-time residents of Boyle Heights, who grew up idolizing the diverse players at nearby Dodger Stadium.

“No one entity can solve all of a community’s problems,” said Garrett Gin, senior vice president of global corporate social responsibility for Bank of America. “So, having a partnership between the city, a nonprofit like LANI and the bank – they’re like three legs to a stool. You need all of them to work together to help meet a community’s needs.”