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

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Marshland Credit Union

An older gentleman and his wife came in to consolidate some credit card debt. They had five high-interest credit cards, and no card was lower than 25%, with most carrying significant balances. They paid more than the minimum payment every month but were still spinning their wheels, making progress on the owed balances very slowly. […]

From Produce Aisle To Business Owner

FirstLight Federal Credit Union

The member was a long-time employee at a local produce market in Bonifay, Holmes County, Florida, where they worked for more than 20 years and built deep industry knowledge along with a long-held dream of owning their own market. When the member decided to pursue that goal, the primary barrier was access to startup capital […]

Financial Empowerment Can Start At Any Stage Of Life

Navy Federal Credit Union

Last fall, an older couple stopped by a financial wellness fair outside a Navy Federal Credit Union branch in Oceanside, CA. As the man stepped inside the branch, his wife lingered at the tables outside. She shared that her husband was a longtime member, but she had never had an account of her own. In […]

A Helping Hand In A Moment Of Need

Commodore Perry Federal Credit Union

“When a member of ours unexpectedly had a gap in SNAP benefits and needed funds for groceries, we stepped in to provide a short-term loan to cover essential food costs. Beyond the loan, we connected the member with local community resources to ensure they had ongoing support and access to necessities. This intervention not only […]

From Panic To Relief

Marshland Credit Union

“An older couple came in one day inquiring about a loan. They had several high-interest credit cards, county property taxes due, vehicles that needed tires, and a letter from the IRS stating that it was owed money and they only had a small window to pay. They were low income, retired, and in a panic. […]

Peace Of Mind During A Season Of Change

Desco Federal Credit Union

Long-time members visited our branch feeling anxious about a needed new roof. The members are a married couple, comprised of a husband who is the sole income earner and a homemaker who maintains a very intentional budget. The income earner has a retirement date set for next year, which will result in a bit less […]

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 ...
Lending

FI Connect Expands with Home Improvement Lending Channel, Helping Credit Unions Access New Home Renovation Loan Opportunities

Origence, the leading credit union lending technology company in the U.S., announced that its subsidiary, FI Connect, has expanded its ...
Other

Callahan & Gallup Welcome Two Credit Unions To The Member Engagement And Financial Wellbeing Consortium

Callahan & Associates, a recognized leader in performance measurement, leadership development, strategic advisory and community development for credit unions, and Gallup, a global analytics and ...
Operations & HR

QuantyPhi Welcomes Max Bade as ALM & CECL Analyst

QuantyPhi, a wholly owned CUSO of Corporate Central, is pleased to welcome Max Bade as ALM & CECL Analyst as ...
Charity Events

LAFCU, Quality Dairy partner for third annual Paczki Palooza to benefit local charities

LANSING, Mich. — LAFCU partnered with Quality Dairy for the third consecutive year as co-sponsor of Pączki Palooza, the popular ...
Making A Difference

EECU Celebrates Fresno Unified Excellence in Education Honorees

FRESNO, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2026) – Educational Employees Credit Union (EECU) proudly sponsored the Fresno Unified School District’s annual Excellence ...
Other

Coastal Credit Union Headquarters Renovation Earns Multiple Honors

Coastal Credit Union’s headquarters renovation has earned top recognition from both the Triangle Business Journal and the Carolinas AGC, underscoring ...
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 ...
Lending

FI Connect Expands with Home Improvement Lending Channel, Helping Credit Unions Access New Home Renovation Loan Opportunities

Origence, the leading credit union lending technology company in the U.S., announced that its subsidiary, FI Connect, has expanded its ...
Other

Callahan & Gallup Welcome Two Credit Unions To The Member Engagement And Financial Wellbeing Consortium

Callahan & Associates, a recognized leader in performance measurement, leadership development, strategic advisory and community development for credit unions, and Gallup, a global analytics and ...
Operations & HR

QuantyPhi Welcomes Max Bade as ALM & CECL Analyst

QuantyPhi, a wholly owned CUSO of Corporate Central, is pleased to welcome Max Bade as ALM & CECL Analyst as ...
Charity Events

LAFCU, Quality Dairy partner for third annual Paczki Palooza to benefit local charities

LANSING, Mich. — LAFCU partnered with Quality Dairy for the third consecutive year as co-sponsor of Pączki Palooza, the popular ...
Making A Difference

EECU Celebrates Fresno Unified Excellence in Education Honorees

FRESNO, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2026) – Educational Employees Credit Union (EECU) proudly sponsored the Fresno Unified School District’s annual Excellence ...
Other

Coastal Credit Union Headquarters Renovation Earns Multiple Honors

Coastal Credit Union’s headquarters renovation has earned top recognition from both the Triangle Business Journal and the Carolinas AGC, underscoring ...

Credit Unions Raise $506,230 for CMN Hospitals at Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile & 5K

Washington, D.C. (April 12, 2026) – Credit Unions and industry partners presented a $506,230 donation from Credit Union Miracle Day to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals ...

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Ranked #1 in Member Satisfaction by JD Power for the Second Consecutive Year

For the second year in a row, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union has earned the top ranking in the JD Power U.S. Credit Union Satisfaction StudySM, ...

3Rivers Credit Union Partners with Local Organizations to Expand Real-World Financial Education Across Indiana

3Rivers Federal Credit Union has partnered with Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana and Fort Wayne Community Schools to develop and pilot a real-world financial literacy ...

Appli CEO Tim Pranger to Demo AI-Powered Lending Tools at Financial Brand Forum

Appli, the creator of the industry’s first AI-powered smart financial calculator, today announced that Founder and CEO Tim Pranger will be on-site at The Financial ...

Redwood Credit Union receives two Diamond Awards for marketing excellence at America’s Credit Unions competition

Redwood Credit Union has won two Diamond Awards in America’s Credit Unions Marketing, PR & Development Council’s annual nationwide competition recognizing excellence in credit union ...

Chartway Credit Union Wins Sixth Straight USA Today Top Workplaces Award

Chartway Credit Union is proud to announce that it has earned the prestigious 2026 USA Today Top Workplaces Award for the sixth consecutive year. Issued ...
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