When a young member came to us for a truck loan, he put down a solid deposit and made every payment on time. Then, suddenly, the payments stopped. His mother came in to explain—he had been incarcerated and would be gone for about six months. She wanted to keep his account in good standing.
Management made a compassionate decision: allow her to make payments without late fees or interest penalties, so he wouldn’t fall further behind. When he was released, we resumed interest charges, and he returned to making payments—now with a lower-paying job, but with the same determination.
He’s been consistently grateful, thanking us each time he comes in. Now, we’re working with him on a Debt Restructuring loan to make his payments more manageable and help him stay on track.
This story is a reminder that financial institutions can be more than lenders, they can also be partners in resilience.
