For so many people, a job is a critical step in the recovery process,regardless of whether the work is part time, full time, or evenvolunteering. Funds from the grant will give Conard House additionalresources to provide its Supportive Housing residents with criticalvocational assessment, counseling, job placement and job retentiontraining. Conard House employs many residents in both office/programpositions and in property management services. The organization works inpartnership with the San Francisco community to provide a diverse range ofexternal employment opportunities as well, including retail and food sales,customer service and security.

"Conard House has a long and strong track record of providing important jobtraining and other transformational services to people living with chronicmental illness," said Janice Sears, San Francisco market president, Bank ofAmerica. "Conard House is the only nonprofit in San Francisco working withpublic and private sectors to empower this important population of peopletowards better and healthier lives. Bank of America is pleased to supportthese truly impactful efforts."

"We are grateful to Bank of America for recognizing our work and deliveringadditional funding, which will enable us to provide employment services topeople living with chronic mental illness," said Richard Heasley, ExecutiveDirector of Conard House. "Many people suffering with mental illness face adual challenge of recovery from mental illness, and resuming the skills andabilities needed to function successfully within the community -- includingthe workplace. National studies as well as conversations with our clientsshow clearly that a job is essential to the recovery process. A job canhelp someone get back on track by offering dignity, self-respect, a clearsense of identity, and hope for the future."

About Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities itserves, Bank of America will embark in 2009 on a new, ten-year goal todonate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving thehealth and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, theBank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2007,making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world andthe second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions.Bank of America approaches giving through a national strategy called"neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders toidentify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities.Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers contributed morethan 650,000 hours in 2007 to enhance the quality of life in theircommunities nationwide. For more information about Bank of AmericaCorporate Philanthropy, please visithttp://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.

About Conard House

Conard House, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization, providing mentalhealth services to residents of San Francisco. Founded upon core principlesof self-empowerment, self-determination and the least restrictive,community-based living, Conard House opened its doors in 1960 as the first"halfway house" for adults following hospitalization. Today it serves morethan 2,100 people in a dozen locations. Support for its programs andservices come from various city agencies, service fees from organizations,rents from residents, grants from foundations and gifts from donors. Formore information about Conard House and its programs, please visitwww.conard.org.

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