Chase Donates $60,000 to Allen Temple Baptist Church to Launch Community Center in East Bay

Helping East Bay residents improve their lives, the JPMorgan Chase Foundation donated $60,000 to the Allen Temple Baptist Church for a new community center for its Family Life Center Campus.

The Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. Self Sufficiency Center will serve 600 people a year at 8501 International Blvd. in Oakland.

"The Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. Self Sufficiency Center will make a lasting and positive difference in East Oakland,” said Gary Hall, the J.P. Morgan executive who presented the check during Sunday services. "The center’s services will teach people how to help themselves, which is the key to changing their futures.”

Named for the pastor emeritus, the Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. Self Sufficiency Center is a much- needed addition to the Family Life Center Campus, which already serves more than 10,000 area residents. Among the new Center’s planned services are:

• Financial Services (banking center, credit counseling, financial literacy, tax preparation)
• Homeownership Retention (outreach, training, loan modifications, foreclosure prevention)
• Job Training & Placement (resumes, interviews and search support)
• Wellness (health screening, counseling, treatment and referral)
• Business Development & Finance (technical assistance, revolving loan fund)

"JPMorgan Chase embodies the corporate citizenship the City of Oakland needs now more than ever,” said Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Smith Jr., the church’s current pastor. "Public, private and grassroots investments help our neighbors improve their lives and stabilize our entire community.”

The JPMorgan Chase Foundation makes more than $10 million in grants to California non-profit organizations each year, and donated $150 million around the world in 2010.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co:

In California, Chase serves 13 million people through more than 800 bank branches and 2,900 ATMs. Chase is part of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which serves consumers, businesses, corporations and government clients through its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.