Symetra Partners with Operation Hope on Financial Literacy Program

Commits $350K by 2027 to fund access and programming for underserved adults in Greater Hartford, Conn., area

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With National Financial Literacy Month underway, Symetra today announced a new partnership with Operation Hope, a national nonprofit focused on financial literacy empowerment and economic education, to bring community financial literacy workshops, coaching and referral services to underserved adults in the Greater Hartford, Conn., area. Symetra has committed $350,000 to fund the first three years of the program, Symetra Hope Inside, through 2027.

“Symetra’s vision is to create a world where more people have access to financial freedom. We believe financial literacy is essential to creating long-term, generational financial health and security,” said Sharmila Swenson, vice president, Public Affairs & Social Impact. “We know that financial education is a powerful tool that helps people develop economic stability and control their financial future, but we also know that not everyone has access to the same information. To help close the gap, we committed to developing a community financial literacy program.”

Symetra Hope Inside soft-launched in January and expands Operation Hope’s services from 47 to 48 states. Delivered by a full-time financial wellbeing coach conducting virtual and in-person workshops, the program is expected to reach over 700 people with more than 2,000 education service touchpoints over the first three years. Participants will receive financial education on a range of topics, including creating a budget, reducing debt, increasing savings, and improving credit scores.

“Financial literacy is not just about dollars and cents — it's about dignity and empowerment,” says John HOPE Bryant, founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE. “When individuals understand how money works, they can take control of their future, uplift their families, and strengthen entire communities. At Operation HOPE, we believe that financial education is the foundation for economic opportunity and a thriving democracy.”

Symetra Social Impact

Prioritizing a community financial literacy program is one of the core commitments of Symetra Social Impact. Launched in 2022, Symetra’s corporate social responsibility initiative aims to drive transformation across three priority areas — social commitments, sustainability and governance. The program outlined eight initial goals to be achieved by 2025; the Symetra Inside Hope program launch is part of that inaugural set of commitments.

About Symetra

Symetra Financial Corporation is a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent financial professionals and insurance producers. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.

About Operation HOPE, Inc.

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to “Silver Rights” with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved — disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its award-winning community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $4 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities. Operation HOPE recently received its tenth consecutive 4-star charity rating for fiscal management and commitment to transparency and accountability from the prestigious non-profit evaluator, Charity Navigator. For more information: OperationHOPE.org.