NEW ORLEANS – Chase bank has announced the conversion of its Gentilly Woods branch (4525 Chef Menteur Highway) into a community center designed to “help Black and Latinx consumers open bank accounts, get home loans and start businesses.” It is Chase’s fifth community center branch in the country and first in the southeast.
Chase said in a release that the new branch is “part of a $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and bring more economic opportunity to diverse and underserved communities. It builds on our $5 million AdvancingCities Challenge grant announced in November – a historic investment in New Orleans’ blue-green infrastructure, providing pathways to new career opportunities for residents and contract opportunities for local small businesses in the water economy.”
Featuring a new community “living room” area and a tech bar, the branch will provide financial health workshops, mentoring for entrepreneurs, access to display space and free WiFi. In addition, the Community Center offers traditional banking services.
“We’re moving beyond community banking to community building,” said Chase’s Lawrence Bailey in a statement. “We want to help people build a strong financial foundation so they can thrive and build wealth.”
JPMorgan Chase said it has been a part of New Orleans for more than 180 years. The bank serves more than 180,000 local customers through 32 branches. In the past six months, JPMorgan Chase has contributed $10 million to nonprofits in Louisiana. Earlier this year, Chase contributed another $10 million to New-Orleans based Liberty Bank.