Operation Hope

“Inspirer Banks on Inner City” (Dec. 22), on John Bryant, dwelt on what Operation Hope has not accomplished, rather than celebrating its many accomplishments. I celebrate the hundreds of families that Operation Hope has helped to establish new credit, to understand financial responsibility and ultimately to own the home that they previously could only have dreamed about. And all of this is done without a giveaway of public funds.

You should have pointed out that Operation Hope never says no to anyone seeking assistance in turning around his or her financial plight. As long as an individual is willing to follow its program, Operation Hope will continue to work with that person until his/her financial record has been established and he/she is able to obtain a loan as a first-time home buyer.

I believe that the 50-plus major financial institutions that have invested in Operation Hope have done so because they believe in Bryant’s integrity, vision and commitment to aid residents of the underserved areas of our city. Operation Hope’s successes may not be all that we wish they could be, but this is because of the difficult task that they have set for themselves. I don’t know of any other group that has had a comparable level of success.

PETER J. DOUMANI

Los Angeles