Armed with the theme “Empowering Communities,” the Fifth Third Bank Homeownership Mobile (aka the “eBus”) is rolling into Detroit on Wednesday, August 15, 2012. The eBus is a 40-foot bus retrofitted as a self contained resource center that has on-board computer stations and full internet connectivity. The bus will be available to residents at various neighborhood events from August 15ththrough September 1st. No appointment is necessary and all events are free to the public.
The purpose of the eBus is to partner with community organizations, city and municipal departments and non-profit agencies to bring informational resources about homeownership, financial literacy and basic social needs directly to the communities that have the greatest necessity.
In addition Fifth Third Bank has a multitude of community partners throughout southeast Michigan that will help make the eBus program a success including 2nd Ebenezer Church, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Carriage Town Ministries, Consumer’s Energy, Donni’s Door, DTE Energy, Fairlane Senior Care and Rehabilitation, Flint Business Expo, Junior Achievement, Legal Aid & Defender, Metro Community Development, MI Child, Mission of Peace, Mobile Dentists, SOS Community Center, Motor City Java House, Nazarene Baptist Church, Primary Care Association, Project Healthy Living, Richard W. Bowens Senior Citizen Center, Samaritan Center, SBA, THAW, UAW Local 140, The Children’s Center, Warm Training, and Wayne County Health & Human Services.
This is the eighth year the eBus has visited Detroit. In 2011, over 3,400 Detroit residents stepped aboard the eBus and 600 visitors received free credit reports. This year, although there will still be a focus on homeownership and financial literacy, the programming is geared toward increasing awareness around initiatives such as a fresh start for the unbanked, homeowner preservation, money management, budgeting and basic needs like utility and food insecurity assistance.
“The focus of the 2012 E-Bus program is to continue to deepen our partnerships with community organizations, non-profit agencies, city and municipal departments. Together with our site and program partners our goal is to help community residents understand and gain access to resources and information that help improve their quality of life right where they are – in their neighborhoods. Fifth Third has long believed that in order to build a better tomorrow we must meet the community’s needs today,” said Byna Elliott, Senior Vice President of Community Development at Fifth Third Bank.
The eBus is a “grass roots” effort that combines technology, co-branded events, direct marketing, publicity, media relations and financial literacy education. Attached is the calendar of Fifth Third eBus event sites along with the corresponding host community agency and program partners. For more information about the Fifth Third e-Bus, call 800-246-5372.
