The Member Story Project

The Member Story Project celebrates the powerful, personal moments between credit unions and the people they serve. Through heartfelt stories of real-life impact, this initiative highlights the moments when credit unions made a meaningful difference. Whether they offered support during a crisis, helped a dream come true, or simply showed up when it mattered most, these stories speak volumes.

They reflect the essence of the credit union movement: real people helping real people. We hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us.

Do you have a story to share? We’d love to hear it. Submit your story here and be featured on CreditUnions.com.

The Member Story Project is sponsored by Callahan & Associates

The Power Of Community Support

RVA Financial Federal Credit Union

RVA Financial Federal Credit Union has proudly granted $4.1 million in mortgages, enabling residents of the City of Richmond to achieve their dreams of homeownership. We have a truly inspiring success story featuring one of our members who re-entered society after being in the corrections system. Through our credit coaching, he increased his credit score […]

From Heartbreak To Hope, 1 Step At A Time

After his wife passed on, a member came in just as lost as he could be. In their 60 years of marriage, she’d always handled the finances, and he didn’t even know where to start. He’d gathered up what he could —including her death certificate — but you could see plain as day he was […]

From Educated to Empowered: A Switch to Save Success That Multiplied

About a year ago, Cherie worked with a non‑member who wanted to refinance an auto loan from Santander with a monthly payment of $603. At the time, his credit score was low, and while he was approved, the interest rate came in at 15%. Rather than stopping there, Cherie took time to have a meaningful […]

A 3-Hour Turnaround Changed A Family’s Vacation

Wings Financial Credit Union

Some moments remind us how far a team will go to support a member’s wellbeing. A member urgently needed financing for an accessible vehicle large enough for his two grandchildren, both of whom use wheelchairs. His current vehicle was unsafe, and the family was leaving for a long-planned vacation in two days. He needed a […]

From Worry to Trust: One Interaction That Made a Lasting Impression

Our team member Maddy recently assisted a 75 year old member who contacted Patelco with concerns about a potentially compromised card linked to Apple Pay. The member was confused and worried, as she still had the physical card in her possession and did not understand how fraud could occur. Maddy took the time to patiently […]

6 Months Of Support That Restored Hope

Wings Financial Credit Union

Some of the most meaningful moments happen quietly, through steady care over time. Dee Cordova, senior service center manager, supported a member facing overwhelming medical and financial hardship. He was living with Lewy Body Disease and early onset Parkinson’s, had fallen behind on bills, and was trapped in a predatory high-interest loan that was draining […]

Making A Difference

Redwood Credit Union Surpasses $1 Million in Giving Support for Redwood Empire Food Bank

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) today announced a major milestone in its long-standing partnership with the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB), ...
Making A Difference

Family Trust Federal Credit Union Joins Upstate Credit Unions for Habitat Greenville Credit Union Build 2026

Continuing its commitment to affordable housing in the Carolinas, Family Trust Federal Credit Union is joining fellow credit unions across ...
Industry Analysis & Trends

Baker Market Update – Week in Review: March 6, 2026

Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Making A Difference

22 Nonprofits Receive $69,400 in Grants from 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation

The 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation’s first round of 2026 funding awarded $69,400 to 22 nonprofits across northeast and central Indiana ...
Other

BECU continues expansion with new locations in Auburn, Liberty Lake, and Mercer Island

BECU, Washington’s largest credit union, is continuing its expansion by adding new Neighborhood Financial Centers (NFCs) in Auburn (Lakeland Hills ...
Other

SchoolsFirst FCU’s Kristin Crellin Named 2026 CSUF Vision & Visionaries Distinguished Alumna

Kristin Crellin, senior vice president of community and Membership development at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, has been named a 2026 ...
Making A Difference

Coastal Credit Union’s Creighton Blackwell Inducted into African American Credit Union Hall of Fame

Coastal Credit Union’s Chief Community Impact and Public Affairs Officer Creighton Blackwell is among the African American Credit Union 2026 ...
Technology

Hanscom Federal Credit Union Selects Corelation’s KeyStone to Advance Its Members First Mission and Long-Term Innovation

Hanscom Federal Credit Union ($2.1 billion assets; 115,000+ members; Littleton, MA) selected the Corelation KeyStone core, marking an important milestone ...
Strategic Partnerships

Credit Union West Partners with Arkatechture to Advance Enterprise Data & Analytics Capabilities

Credit Union West has partnered with Arkatechture to strengthen their ability to transform data into timely, actionable insights that support ...
New Product Releases

Vizo Financial Launches DefaultSleuth to Help Credit Unions Shift from Reactive Collections to Proactive Risk Prevention

Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union introduced DefaultSleuth, a behavioral-first risk intelligence platform designed to help credit unions manage default risk ...
Personnel Promotions

For Immediate Release – Natco Credit Union Appoints Tim Frame as President/CEO

Richmond, IN, March 2, 2026. Natco Credit Union announced the appointment of Tim Frame as its next President and Chief ...

Final Weeks To Apply For LAFCU’s 2026 Write To Educate Essay Contest

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan high school seniors have until March 31 to submit entries for LAFCU’s 2026 Write to Educate ...
Personnel Promotions

CRIF Select Welcomes Julie Nielsen as SVP of Account Management to Accelerate Client Growth and Enterprise Value

CRIF Select has appointed Julie Nielsen as Senior Vice President of Account Management to drive client growth and enterprise value ...
Legal/Regulatory

Bipartisan AFFORD Act Will Strengthen CDFI Fund

The bipartisan Advancing Financial Opportunities through Revitalizing and Developing CDFIs (AFFORD) Act was introduced this week by Senators Steve Daines ...
Industry Analysis & Trends

Baker Market Update – Week in Review: February 27, 2026

Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Making A Difference

SECU and SECU Foundation Receive Disaster Response Champions Award for Helene Relief Efforts

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) and SECU Foundation recently received the inaugural Disaster Response Champions Award from Carolinas Credit Union ...
New Product Releases

St. Cloud Financial Credit Union Launches CU-Digital Asset Vault™ — Positioning the Credit Union as the most Valuable Wallet for Member Digital Wealth

St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) announced the live launch of the CU-Digital Asset Vault™, the first credit union-built digital ...
Marketing

Appli CEO Tim Pranger to Showcase Real-Time Property Value Calculator at CUNA GAC 2026

Appli, the creator of the industry’s first AI-powered smart financial calculator, today announced that Founder and CEO Tim Pranger will ...
Other

Newsweek names Redwood Credit Union one of the Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women

Newsweek has awarded Redwood Credit Union its highest five-star rating as one of America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women, an ...
Strategic Partnerships

Ocean State Credit Union Selects Synergent for Core Processing and Integrated Services

WESTBROOK, ME (February 26, 2026) – Synergent® has entered into a ten-year hosted Jack Henry™ Symitar® core processing agreement with ...
New Product Releases

eDOC Innovations Announces Product Enhancements

eDOC announces product updates and enhancements including new integration capabilities with its e-Sign solution, eDOCSignature, optimization of iDOCVault document management ...
Other

Vizo Financial’s March 2026 Education Calendar

At Vizo Financial we are committed to providing quality education to credit unions and their staff, which is why we ...
Other

Meriwest Credit Union Wins Top Honor as Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley 2026

We’re excited to share that Meriwest has been voted as the Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley in 2026 by ...
Lending

Origence Ends 2025 with 17% Growth in Fundings; Expands AI-Driven Lending Technology

Origence, the leading lending technology solutions provider for credit unions, closed 2025 with $62 billion in total fundings, up 17% ...
Operations & HR

Xpress Data Inc. hires Kirk Drake as new President

Xpress Data Inc. hires Kirk Drake as new President. Drake brings decades of experience in credit unions and technology strategy ...
Other

Catherine Bryant and Jonah Kaufman of Coastal Wealth Management Recognized as Distinguished Financial Professionals by LPL Financial

Catherine Bryant and Jonah Kaufman, Wealth Advisors at Coastal Wealth Management in Raleigh, have earned a place among LPL Financials’ ...

Credit Unions Gain Edge with New CashBack+ Credit Card Rewards

New York, NY – February 25, 2025 – Prizeout, the leader in advertising and financial technology, today announced the launch ...
Making A Difference

ICUL Launches “Credit Unions in Action” to Showcase Statewide Community Impact

The Illinois Credit Union League has opened our inaugural Credit Unions in Action (CUIA) data collection initiative, and we’re excited ...
Strategic Partnerships

Apple Federal Credit Union Partners with Quavo to Modernize Dispute Operations and Elevate Member Experience

Quavo, Inc. (“Quavo”), the proven AI disputes technology partner and leading strategic advisor for financial institutions, has announced a new ...
Technology

Wings Credit Union Signs with Corelation, Selecting KeyStone to Elevate Its Future

Wings Credit Union has signed with Corelation, confirming their decision to select the KeyStone core to power what is a ...
Making A Difference

Redwood Credit Union Surpasses $1 Million in Giving Support for Redwood Empire Food Bank

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) today announced a major milestone in its long-standing partnership with the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB), ...
Making A Difference

Family Trust Federal Credit Union Joins Upstate Credit Unions for Habitat Greenville Credit Union Build 2026

Continuing its commitment to affordable housing in the Carolinas, Family Trust Federal Credit Union is joining fellow credit unions across ...
Industry Analysis & Trends

Baker Market Update – Week in Review: March 6, 2026

Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Making A Difference

22 Nonprofits Receive $69,400 in Grants from 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation

The 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation’s first round of 2026 funding awarded $69,400 to 22 nonprofits across northeast and central Indiana ...
Other

BECU continues expansion with new locations in Auburn, Liberty Lake, and Mercer Island

BECU, Washington’s largest credit union, is continuing its expansion by adding new Neighborhood Financial Centers (NFCs) in Auburn (Lakeland Hills ...
Other

SchoolsFirst FCU’s Kristin Crellin Named 2026 CSUF Vision & Visionaries Distinguished Alumna

Kristin Crellin, senior vice president of community and Membership development at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, has been named a 2026 ...
Making A Difference

Coastal Credit Union’s Creighton Blackwell Inducted into African American Credit Union Hall of Fame

Coastal Credit Union’s Chief Community Impact and Public Affairs Officer Creighton Blackwell is among the African American Credit Union 2026 ...
Technology

Hanscom Federal Credit Union Selects Corelation’s KeyStone to Advance Its Members First Mission and Long-Term Innovation

Hanscom Federal Credit Union ($2.1 billion assets; 115,000+ members; Littleton, MA) selected the Corelation KeyStone core, marking an important milestone ...
Strategic Partnerships

Credit Union West Partners with Arkatechture to Advance Enterprise Data & Analytics Capabilities

Credit Union West has partnered with Arkatechture to strengthen their ability to transform data into timely, actionable insights that support ...
New Product Releases

Vizo Financial Launches DefaultSleuth to Help Credit Unions Shift from Reactive Collections to Proactive Risk Prevention

Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union introduced DefaultSleuth, a behavioral-first risk intelligence platform designed to help credit unions manage default risk ...
Personnel Promotions

For Immediate Release – Natco Credit Union Appoints Tim Frame as President/CEO

Richmond, IN, March 2, 2026. Natco Credit Union announced the appointment of Tim Frame as its next President and Chief ...

Final Weeks To Apply For LAFCU’s 2026 Write To Educate Essay Contest

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan high school seniors have until March 31 to submit entries for LAFCU’s 2026 Write to Educate ...
Personnel Promotions

CRIF Select Welcomes Julie Nielsen as SVP of Account Management to Accelerate Client Growth and Enterprise Value

CRIF Select has appointed Julie Nielsen as Senior Vice President of Account Management to drive client growth and enterprise value ...
Legal/Regulatory

Bipartisan AFFORD Act Will Strengthen CDFI Fund

The bipartisan Advancing Financial Opportunities through Revitalizing and Developing CDFIs (AFFORD) Act was introduced this week by Senators Steve Daines ...
Industry Analysis & Trends

Baker Market Update – Week in Review: February 27, 2026

Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Making A Difference

SECU and SECU Foundation Receive Disaster Response Champions Award for Helene Relief Efforts

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) and SECU Foundation recently received the inaugural Disaster Response Champions Award from Carolinas Credit Union ...
New Product Releases

St. Cloud Financial Credit Union Launches CU-Digital Asset Vault™ — Positioning the Credit Union as the most Valuable Wallet for Member Digital Wealth

St. Cloud Financial Credit Union (SCFCU) announced the live launch of the CU-Digital Asset Vault™, the first credit union-built digital ...
Marketing

Appli CEO Tim Pranger to Showcase Real-Time Property Value Calculator at CUNA GAC 2026

Appli, the creator of the industry’s first AI-powered smart financial calculator, today announced that Founder and CEO Tim Pranger will ...
Other

Newsweek names Redwood Credit Union one of the Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women

Newsweek has awarded Redwood Credit Union its highest five-star rating as one of America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women, an ...
Strategic Partnerships

Ocean State Credit Union Selects Synergent for Core Processing and Integrated Services

WESTBROOK, ME (February 26, 2026) – Synergent® has entered into a ten-year hosted Jack Henry™ Symitar® core processing agreement with ...
New Product Releases

eDOC Innovations Announces Product Enhancements

eDOC announces product updates and enhancements including new integration capabilities with its e-Sign solution, eDOCSignature, optimization of iDOCVault document management ...
Other

Vizo Financial’s March 2026 Education Calendar

At Vizo Financial we are committed to providing quality education to credit unions and their staff, which is why we ...
Other

Meriwest Credit Union Wins Top Honor as Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley 2026

We’re excited to share that Meriwest has been voted as the Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley in 2026 by ...
Lending

Origence Ends 2025 with 17% Growth in Fundings; Expands AI-Driven Lending Technology

Origence, the leading lending technology solutions provider for credit unions, closed 2025 with $62 billion in total fundings, up 17% ...
Operations & HR

Xpress Data Inc. hires Kirk Drake as new President

Xpress Data Inc. hires Kirk Drake as new President. Drake brings decades of experience in credit unions and technology strategy ...
Other

Catherine Bryant and Jonah Kaufman of Coastal Wealth Management Recognized as Distinguished Financial Professionals by LPL Financial

Catherine Bryant and Jonah Kaufman, Wealth Advisors at Coastal Wealth Management in Raleigh, have earned a place among LPL Financials’ ...

Credit Unions Gain Edge with New CashBack+ Credit Card Rewards

New York, NY – February 25, 2025 – Prizeout, the leader in advertising and financial technology, today announced the launch ...
Making A Difference

ICUL Launches “Credit Unions in Action” to Showcase Statewide Community Impact

The Illinois Credit Union League has opened our inaugural Credit Unions in Action (CUIA) data collection initiative, and we’re excited ...
Strategic Partnerships

Apple Federal Credit Union Partners with Quavo to Modernize Dispute Operations and Elevate Member Experience

Quavo, Inc. (“Quavo”), the proven AI disputes technology partner and leading strategic advisor for financial institutions, has announced a new ...
Technology

Wings Credit Union Signs with Corelation, Selecting KeyStone to Elevate Its Future

Wings Credit Union has signed with Corelation, confirming their decision to select the KeyStone core to power what is a ...

Alogent’s Unify Shortlisted for Best PayTech Solution for Banks and FIs at the Banking Tech Awards USA 2026

Unify has been named a finalist for Best PayTech Solution for Banks & FIs at the 2026 Banking Tech Awards USA. This recognition reflects the ...

Callahan Introduces Dashboard-Level AI Analysis In Peer Suite

Washington, DC  – Callahan & Associates announced the release of dashboard-level AI Analysis (beta) in Peer Suite, a new capability designed to help credit union teams interpret performance ...

Justice Federal Credit Union Recognized as a 2026 Best Place to Work in Virginia

Justice Federal Credit Union, (Justice Federal), is honored to be recognized as a 2026 Best Places to Work in Virginia, by Virginia Business.

Mark L. Robnett Announced as New CUES Board Chair

Justice Federal Credit Union, (Justice Federal), is pleased to announce that Mark L. Robnett, President and CEO will assume the role of Credit Union Executive ...

State Employees’ Credit Union Helps North Carolinians Build Financial Skills Through Free Education Events

In recognition of Financial Literacy Month in April, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is highlighting its free financial education programming offered through its network of ...

Final call for Michigan schools to apply for LAFCU’s $10K Innovation for Education Grant

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan K–12 schools have until May 1 to apply for LAFCU’s 2026 Innovation for Education (LIFE) Grant, which will award $10,000 to ...
Scroll to Top