IRVINE, Calif. – March 20, 2012 – Opus Bank (the “Bank”) and Opus Community Foundation (the “Foundation”) announced today the Foundation’s approval of 11 grant awards to charitable organizations that the Bank and Foundation believe will have an immediate and long lasting impact on efforts to rebuild our communities. The initiatives receiving the Foundation’s financial support create enrichment and advancement opportunities that directly improve the lives of individuals and families in the communities Opus Bank serves.

Stephen H. Gordon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Opus Bank and Chairman of Opus Community Foundation, stated, “While Opus Bank remains focused on providing capital funding to business owners, real estate investors, and entrepreneurs who share our vision to expand and grow, our vision doesn’t stop there. The organizations with whom we have chosen to partner have programs targeting specific areas of need in our California and Washington communities. These programs have consistently proven to be very successful and have shown great results.”

California Grant Awards

Boys and Girls Clubs of Los Angeles Harbor received a grant to support its Comprehensive Arts Program, which provides at-risk kids a safe environment where they can develop their full potential in dance, music, fine arts and crafts, and multimedia arts.

Children’s Hospital of Orange County (“CHOC”) received a grant to support its medical programs, which are designed to improve the health and well-being of children through clinical expertise, advocacy, outreach, and research that brings advanced treatment to pediatric patients.

Irvine Children’s Fund received a grant to support its scholarship program, which provides funding for elementary school aged children from low income families to attend before and after school child care.

MIND Research Institute received a grant to support its Math Initiative program, which provides K-12 schools located in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods math instructional systems that improve math education and advance scientific understanding using language- independent software lessons, which reduce the language barrier for students.

Orangewood Children’s Foundation received a grant to support the construction of The Academy, a new residential charter school in Santa Ana, that will provide a transformational learning environment to at-risk and foster teens that offers consistency, stability, support, and a community in which to belong, thrive, and grow into successful adults.

Richstone Family Center received a grant to support their programs, which are designed to prevent and treat child abuse, strengthen families, and prevent violence in families, schools, and communities.

YMCA of Orange County received a grant to support its scholarship programs, which provide before and after school child care for low income and at-risk school aged kids in in Tustin, Santa Ana, and Fullerton.

Washington Grant Awards

Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing received a grant to support its Welcome Home program, which provides short-term housing subsidies and support services for families threatened by homelessness in the Kirkland and East King County region.

Olive Crest received a grant to support its Community Involvement program, which recruits and trains volunteers, tutors, and mentors to provide valuable educational advocacy and life skills modeling to low income foster care and at-risk youth.

Sherwood Community Services received a grant to support its Career Connection program, which provides vocational services, including individualized job planning and exploration, placement, and retention to transition-aged students and adults with disabilities.

Snohomish County Music Project received a grant to support its Link Up program, which pairs local orchestras with students in grades 3-5 who are introduced to classical masterworks and learn to read, recite, and perform music.

About Opus Community Foundation

The Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) organization established by Opus Bank on September 30, 2010. The Foundation targets its philanthropic efforts in the areas of affordable housing, community development, education, financial literacy, health and human services, and the arts. The Foundation’s goal is to stimulate economic change, promote reinvestment, inspire philanthropy, and strengthen the communities around us.​

About Opus Bank

Opus Bank, headquartered in Irvine, CA, is an FDIC insured California-chartered commercial bank with $2.4 billion of total assets, $1.6 billion of total loans, and $1.8 billion in total deposits, as of December 31, 2011. Opus Bank provides high value, relationship-based banking products and exceptional service to its clients comprised of small and mid-sized commercial businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, professionals, and consumers. Opus Bank offers a wide range of loan products, including commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, multifamily residential, jumbo single-family residential, and consumer loans; and is a Small Business Administration (“SBA”) Preferred Lender. Opus Bank currently operates 41 banking offices, including 22 in the Seattle/Puget Sound region in Washington and 19 banking offices in Southern California. Opus Bank has announced plans to open new banking offices in Danville, located in Contra Costa County; Long Beach and Pasadena, located in Los Angeles County; Laguna Niguel, located in Orange County; Del Mar, located in San Diego County, California; Gig Harbor, located in Pierce County; Kirkland, located in King County; and Mount Vernon, located in Skagit County, Washington. For additional information about Opus Bank, please visit our website: .