The Community

Financial Empowerment Programs for Adults

Fifth Third’s eBus and eBus II—also referred to as Fifth Third Financial Empowerment Mobiles—travel throughout the Bank’s markets to reach individuals and neighborhoods in low- and moderate-income areas that have been traditionally underserved by banks. Our eBuses provide community members access to professional financial advice and guidance. The mission of our eBuses is to take quality financial services directly to people and empower them to take control of their financial future.

Fifth Third Bank and The Community College Foundation have formed an innovative partnership to assist individuals who come aboard to achieve financial empowerment. The full-size, retrofitted commercial buses use cellular broadband and satellite to access the internet at each of the dozen computer workstations. Online tools and personalized services aboard the eBus leave individuals equipped with the tools they need to gain financial empowerment.

On board, individuals receive:

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• Free credit reports 

• One-on-one counseling with Fifth Third representatives and local partners

• Access to online tools such as financial literacy tutorials, mortgage calculators, online banking training

• Access to online job search and training modules called JobSeeker’s Toolkit

Program Timeline and Facts:

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• Since the program’s inception in 2004, the numbers of cities the buses visit has increased year after year and nearly 100,000 people have boarded the bus to gain access to financial education and services.

• In 2011, Fifth Third Bank facilitated the retrofit of a second eBus to reach an even greater number of individuals.

  • eBus II enables the Bank to more deeply penetrate and serve low- and moderate-income communities and align even more closely the Bank’s efforts to meet its obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act.

• In 2014, Fifth Third enabled the public to access online job search and training modules called the Job Seeker’s Toolkit.

For local events, Fifth Third Financial Empowerment Mobile partners with local providers to offer an array of services aboard the eBus. Partners may include:

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• local housing and credit counselors

• real estate professionals

• city housing departments

• faith-based organizations

• other community based organizations

In 2015, the eBuses will be traveling to cities in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Missouri, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The eBus schedules can be found on the [Community Connect (eBus) Event Calendar] page.
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If your organization would like to schedule the Fifth Third Financial Empowerment Mobile for an event on our tour, or if you would like more information on this program, please contact Ingrid Jimenez, Director of Administration, at 916-418-5115 or by email to ijimenez@communitycollege.org.