Haven for Hope and Bank of America Partnership Featured in San Antonio Business Journal
Bank of America benefits SA charity through leadership program
Jul 21, 2022
Bank of America Corp. established a “leader on loan” program as part of its philanthropic initiatives, which sends an executive to a local charitable organization within its respective market for a year.
Stefanie Adame, senior vice president of regional business management and operations executive at Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), was selected to spend a year as interim director of leadership and organizational development at San Antonio’s Haven for Hope.
“When I said yes to this assignment, I thought it was a perfect fit given my skill set,” said Adame. “I can come in, I can give recommendations, I can help in terms of leadership development and organizational development.”
Adame says her day-to-day duties include planning events, dealing with community partners and locating resources for the organization.
The program, which started in 2017, began as a partnership with four organizations. Today, it sends 27 executives to help with economic and philanthropic initiatives for respective organizations, according to Adame.
BofA works with area nonprofits to match leaders with the organization. She says in other markets, applications are posted for employees to sign up for leader on loan positions.
Adame said she retained her full salary, benefits and vacation time while serving as an employee with Haven for Hope. She is in the final few months of her tenure with the organization and says that once finished she will transition back to her duties with BofA.
“This is a very unique opportunity that we’ve had, the opportunity to benefit from it,” said Justin Barbour, general counsel and director of human resources at Haven for Hope. “We would welcome those kinds of opportunities in the future.”
Haven for Hope, founded in 2010 by founding CEO of Valero Energy Bill Greehey, helps provide food, shelter and clothing for San Antonio’s homeless. It has reached over 15,000 clients since its founding. The two organizations have had partnerships in the past, with Haven for Hope being named a Bank of America Neighborhood Builder in 2019.
