Bank of America 2011 Annual Report Download - page 17

A. Connecting workers to 21st-century jobs. To connect individuals
to meaningful employment opportunities, in 2011 we announced
a three-year, $50 million philanthropic goal to support education
and workforce development as part of our 10-year, $2 billion giving
goal. This will help the unemployed, veterans and youth access and
complete post-secondary degrees in community colleges and gain
skills through job training initiatives, such as the program offered by
FareStart in Seattle.
B. Creating green jobs for veterans and families. We’re working
with our client SolarCity on Project SolarStrong — the first
residential solar power project of its kind. SolarStrong is expected
to create more than $1 billion in solar projects, thousands of
jobs and up to 300 megawatts of energy through the installation
of rooftop solar panels to as many as 120,000 U.S. military
residences across the country.
C. Supporting low- and moderate-income communities. Since
2009, we have committed more than $460 billion toward our
10-year, $1.5 trillion community development lending and investing
goal. We invested in Oakwood Shores Senior Apartments in Chicago
to help create 3,000 affordable rental and for-sale housing units
and much-needed services for elderly residents, as well as new
parks, schools and retail facilities.
D. Expanding access to capital for small businesses and under-
served communities. Our $12 million Community Development
Financial Institution grant program has allowed nonprofit lenders to
serve 8,700 local businesses, including the Tracy Optometry Group,
Inc., owned by Dr. David Moline and Dr. Brian Yee, who received a
low-cost loan to modernize and expand their full-service optometrist
practice in Tracy, Calif.
E. Meeting critical needs. To help individuals struggling with basic
needs, we made nearly $6 million in emergency safety net grants
and extended customer donations through our Gift for Opportunity™
fund, helping to provide 26 million meals to the hungry. And in
2011, our employees donated 1.5 million volunteer hours globally,
building affordable housing, providing financial education, and
packing food at organizations like the Houston Food Bank.
F. Reducing our emissions. After reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions by 18 percent between 2004 and 2009 — twice our
original target — we’ve established a new global 15 percent
reduction target for 2015. We are reducing our energy use and
pursuing LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certification in 20 percent of our corporate real estate, like
1 Bank of America Center in Charlotte, N.C.
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