Community impact
71 years of community-first banking
Profits don’t leave the region. Decisions are made by people who live here. Member savings get reinvested as small business loans + community grants. The cooperative model — measurable in dollars.
2025 impact
$2.3M
Reinvested in nonprofits
$284M
Small biz lending
1,840
First-time homebuyers
$5,000
Avg closing-cost grant
Our story
From 1953 to today
1953 — founded
Started by 12 mill workers in Greenville, SC, who couldn’t get fair credit at any local bank. Pooled $260 to start the credit union.
1974 — first branch
Moved out of the church basement into a real branch on Main Street. Membership crossed 5,000.
1998 — community charter
Expanded charter to serve the broader region, not just one employer. Membership grew from 24,000 to 78,000 in five years.
2014 — SBA preferred lender
Earned SBA preferred-lender status. Began funding small business loans across the Carolinas in serious volume.
2019 — first $1B in assets
Crossed $1B in member assets. Reinvested $1.2M into community nonprofits that year.
2026 — 187,000 member-owners
$3.4B in assets. 32 branches. 5,000+ free ATMs. Still member-owned. Still member-first.
The difference
Credit union vs. bank — what changes for you
Profits
Bank: distributed to shareholders as dividends. CU: returned to members as better rates, lower fees, occasional cooperative dividends.
Decisions
Bank: centralized. Approvals run through distant underwriting systems. CU: branch managers + local underwriting can override edge cases for members with relationship history.
APR caps
Bank: credit cards routinely up to 36% APR. CU: capped at 18% by federal law. Same rewards programs, half the rate.
Savings rates
Bank: national average 0.42% APY. CU: our Money Market 4.10% APY. Same insurance, 10x the rate.
Customer service
Bank: average wait 12+ minutes; agents follow scripts. CU: average wait 47 seconds; agents have authority to solve issues.
Community reinvestment
Bank: regulatory minimum (Community Reinvestment Act). CU: structurally invested in members; reinvestment isn’t a compliance line, it’s the business model.
Where the money goes
2025 community reinvestment
Affordable housing fund — $640K
Grants to Habitat for Humanity affiliates and community land trusts across NC + SC.
Small business microloan fund — $480K
Loans of $500–$15,000 to underbanked entrepreneurs, especially women + BIPOC owners.
Financial literacy programs — $310K
Free curriculum and workshops in 47 K-12 schools across our service area.
Disaster relief fund — $295K
Emergency loans + grants for members affected by Hurricane Helene + flooding events.
Member scholarships — $185K
37 scholarships of $5,000 each to member students attending college or trade school.
Branch-level community giving — $390K
Each branch has $12K/year discretionary budget for local nonprofit support — sponsorships, events, supply drives.
Community voices
What members say about the impact
“Hurricane Helene wiped out our shop. The credit union called us — not the other way around. Loaned us $25K at 0% interest to rebuild. We’re back open. They didn’t have to do that.”
ML
Margaret L.
Owner, Banner Elk Mercantile · Avery County, NC
“I got my first home through their first-time buyer program. The $5K closing-cost grant is what made it work. The loan officer drove out to my house when I had questions. Try getting that from Wells Fargo.”
DP
DeShawn P.
Member since 2024 · Charlotte, NC
“I teach financial literacy at our high school using their free curriculum. The branch manager comes once a year to do a Q&A with the seniors. The kids always say it’s the most useful class they take.”
JT
Jorge T.
Teacher · Spartanburg, SC
Impact questions
What people ask
- We publish an annual community impact report (PDF, available on request). It documents every dollar reinvested by program: affordable housing, small business microloans, financial literacy, disaster relief, member scholarships, branch-level giving. Audited by a third-party CPA firm.