The work we do with credit unions allows them to make real differences in the lives of their members and communities. This could be through CDFI certification or grant funding, assisting with business plans, product design, partnership creation or any of our other many services. And as part of this work, we get to hear the wonderful member impact stories that illustrate what credit unions are doing to unlock opportunities in the communities they serve. We will be highlighting some of these stories here.
A Carolina Foothills Federal Credit Union member had essentially no credit when she first opened her account. She was a single mother with three kids, one of whom had a disability. She was working part-time, trying to make ends meet and take care of her children all at the same time.
As a result, the only place she had been able to afford to rent an apartment was in a dangerous part of town. One day she came into the credit union to speak to a representative. She explained that someone had been shot right outside their door the previous day, and her kids had witnessed the shooting. She was scared and was desperate to move, in order to provide a safer, more stable living situation for them.
Her dream was to one day be able to own a three-bedroom home with a yard, so her kids could have a safe place to play and grow up. The representative worked with her, and continued to work with her over the course of a number of months, in order to get her financially ready for a mortgage. Finally, last summer she was approved for a mortgage and moved into her new home.
Recently, she came into the credit union in order to show staff photos of her house and the yard where her kids can now safely play. She said she was so thrilled to own a home all by herself, and not worry about a safe, stable home for her family.
CDFI Certified credit unions have countless stories like these to share; we’re proud to highlight a few from our clients.