GOVERNOR MARTIN O'MALLEY CONGRATULATES COLLECTIVE BANKING GROUP ON 14 YEARS OF COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley will offer congratulatory remarks this evening at the 14th Anniversary gala of the Collective Banking Group, a ministry whose mission is to establish covenant relationships with member churches and partnerships with financial institutions and other organizations for economic empowerment. The Collective Banking Group, Inc. (CBG) was formed in 1993 as a result of concerns raised by pastors and church members in Prince Georges County and the Metropolitan D.C. area regarding inequitable access to services provided by local banks and businesses. Since taking office, Governor O’Malley has formed partnerships with CBG to increase outreach efforts to market foreclosure assistance programs to targeted communities.

“I want to congratulate the Collective Banking Group, its board members, its supporters, and all who are involved in this noble effort on 14 years of this great and important organization,” said Governor O’Malley. “As Marylanders we have always understood that we progress on the strength, not the weakness of our neighbors. That our greatest strength flows from our diversity, our connection to one another, and from a deeper understanding that there is more that unites us than divides us. We’re united by our belief in our shared responsibility to advance the common good.”

In 2007, Governor O’Malley successfully fought for some of the most sweeping foreclosure reforms in the nation, leading to the MDHOPE program’s counselors having aided nearly 30,000 consumers and helped more than 9,400 homeowners avoid foreclosure. Maryland’s HOPE program has been successful in attacking the foreclosure crisis from every angle. In partnership with the Maryland Bar Association, the Pro Bono Resource Center, and Civil Justice, State agencies have trained attorneys to assist Maryland homeowners through the HOPE hotline. More than 700 attorneys have volunteers to be part of the Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project and are helping homeowners at workshops, assisting with individual cases, and advising nonprofit housing counseling agencies. The HOPE hotline has fielded more than 25,000 calls since being established in 2008.

“Tonight, we celebrate all of our partners and the success we have achieved together. We are especially proud of our partnerships with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to help ease the foreclosure crisis in our area. And our partnership with Marlo Furniture has provided extraordinary benefits to our members,” said Reverend Dr. Kerry A.Hill, CBG President. “We are grateful, as well, to our 2009 honorees for all they have done in their respective fields to promote economic empowerment among our members and in our communities.”

The State of Maryland formed a partnership with CBG in 2009 to increase outreach efforts to promote the HOPE program, leading to the distribution of thousands of “Mortgage Late? Don’t Wait!” brochures and foreclosure prevention literature every month, as well as workshops, seminars, and aid in foreclosure prevention efforts throughout Prince George’s County.

In addition to engaging the faith community on foreclosure prevention initiatives, the Governor has also reached out to faith leaders to become involved with the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger, an initiative launched by Governor O’Malley to make Maryland the first state in the nation to end childhood hunger within its borders. The Partnership will help reach children at risk of hunger in Maryland by increasing participation in highly effective but under-utilized federal food and nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), the Summer Food Service Program, School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The Partnership will bring additional federal funds to the State of Maryland in order to increase enrollment and participation in existing programs. Recently, the Governor convened the Prince George’s County Faith-Based Hunger Summit to discuss the initiative and engage community and faith leaders to become involved.

Finally, in line with CBG’s “Economic Empowerment” mission, Governor O’Malley recently launched MBE University, which will serve as a traveling conference throughout Maryland to offer training, opportunities, and information on the tools necessary for minority or woman-owned businesses to expand, create jobs, and thrive even in difficult economic times. Maryland is home to the oldest MBE program in the nation, and it has established the highest minority- and women-owned business contracting goals in the nation at 25 percent. In addition, Maryland is one of only 15 states in the nation with MBE goals and one of only 4 states with an MBE law in statute. Maryland remains the only state in the nation to collect uniform reporting data including actual payments to MBEs.