1st Financial Federal Credit Union wins 1st place in Missouri for the Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award and receives an honorable mention for the Dora Maxwell Responsibility Community Service Award, both of which recognize outstanding community development achievements in the credit union industry.
In September 2015, it was announced that 1st Financial Federal Credit Union was the recipient of two awards, given annually by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).� These awards were given in response to the extraordinary dedication of 1st Financial to the St. Louis and St. Charles communities through the STL Youth Jobs program and the Helping People 1st Grant program.
"I am so very proud of everyones efforts towards helping us make such a significant impact with both initiatives," said Carol Minges, CEO of 1st Financial Federal Credit Union.� "This is a testament to all of the work the team is doing to serve our community.� Helping people is what we do and our employees are making a huge difference to the members we serve and to the St. Louis area.� We would not have received the awards without our employees continued commitment to making a difference."
The Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award is given to a credit union for its practical application of credit union philosophy within the actual operation of the credit union. It is awarded for internal programs and services that benefit membership.� 1st Financial was awarded a 1st Place recognition for the Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service award due to the results of the STL Youth Jobs program, which has given access to over 1,100 free checking accounts to local at risk youth.� This program has also provided hundreds of hours of financial literacy for working young people in St. Louis city.� To date, these youth have saved over $40,000.
Louise Herring was an active supporter, organizer, and champion of credit unions.� She was the Ohio delegate to the 1934 national credit union conference in Estes Park, CO where she signed the original constitution for a national credit union association.� Louise believed that credit unions should work in a practical manner to better people's lives.� She saw the credit union as more than just a financial institution.� In her own words, "the purpose of the credit union is to reform the financial system, so that everyone can have his place in the sun."
The Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award is given to a credit union or chapter/multiple credit union group for its external social responsibility projects within the community. 1st Financial was awarded an honorable mention for the Dora Maxell Social Responsibility Award due to the results of the Helping People 1st Grant program, which has provided over $20,000 and hundreds of paid volunteer hours to local nonprofits in our communities.
Dora Maxwell was an early credit union pioneer, and was one of the original signers of CUNA's constitutions at Estes Park in Colorado.� She worked as an organizer for the movement's trade association and held numerous volunteer positions at the local and national level.� In addition to organizing hundreds of credit unions, she developed volunteer organizer clubs and worked with organizations on behalf of the poor.
For more information about 1st Financial Federal Credit Union and the credit union difference, please visit
www.1stfinancialfcu.org
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About 1st Financial Federal Credit Union
Like many credit unions, 1st Financial is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative committed to providing quality services to the membership while demonstrating safe and sound business practices.� 1st Financial Federal Credit Union was chartered on September 3, 1968 as District 837 Credit Union by the International Association of Machinist members employed by McDonnell Douglas.� For over 45 years, 1st Financial has provided members with a full line of dependable financial products and services which returns profits to the members in the form of reasonable rates on loans and higher savings yields.
Today, with over 30,000 members and $204 million in assets, 1st Financial is able to serve anyone who lives, works (regularly does business in), worships or attends school in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County or St. Charles County.� Deposits are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an agency of the U.S. Government.
