Through its new Community Empowerment Center, Natco Credit Union intends to be its community’s one-stop-shop for assistance and resources that will help individuals achieve economic empowerment.
RICHMOND, IN (March 25, 2013) – Noticing a significant increase in the number of unemployed or under-employed individuals in its community, Natco Credit Union ($63 million: 12,364 members; Richmond, IN) has plans to open the Natco Community Empowerment Center (NCEC) to provide assistance and resources that will help area consumers achieve economic empowerment. CDFI certification and grant writing firm CU Strategic Planning provided consulting services to Natco in seeking grants to fund The NCEC and is helping with set up. The not for profit, low-income designated credit union is expanding its resources through its Empowerment Center.
According to Natco’s CEO Cynthia Gribben, many individuals within the credit union’s community have become over extended living off their credit cards or using payday loans during periods of reduced income. The credit union wants to use its Community Empowerment Center to focus on solutions that will put these individuals on a path to rebuilding their credit and consolidating their credit cards, with the goal of being debt free within three-to-five years.
The Natco Community Empowerment Center will provide the community with no-cost programs and services, including one on one financial counseling, resume/job seeking assistance, homeownership/foreclosure assistance, small business support, budgeting, credit/debt assistance, access to computers and office resources, financial/life skills outreach, workshops, scholarship/federal student aid resources and more.
“Our focus has been on helping credit-challenged individuals rebuild their credit and raise their credit score. We’ve seen first-hand how this approach, in combination with various other tools/resources, increases a consumer’s ability to obtain future loans at reasonable interest rates, and avoid future financial crisis,” Gribben explains. “The Empowerment Center and Natco have a team of Certified Financial Counselors who work one-on-one with our community members to provide effective solutions that will help them through challenging times. By doing so, we are not only building secure futures, we build relationships.”
“Opening the community empowerment center will allow Natco Credit Union to enhance its reputation as a central financial resource for area consumers,” says CU Strategic Planning’s President/CEO Chuck Cockburn. “Not only is the credit union there to provide the necessary financial tools to serve its members but the Empowerment Center is there to help individuals get back on their financial feet again. That’s what transforms communities into prosperous neighborhoods where people want to live, work, and raise families. We look forward to further assisting Natco with its generous efforts.”
About Natco Credit Union
Natco Credit Union is a community based, not-for-profit credit union committed to providing a smart alternative to profit-driven banks and other institutions. In its commitment to people helping people, Natco established the Natco Community Empowerment Center. The NCEC serves its community through economic development and provides the tools and resources necessary to overcome poverty and obtain long-term financial sustainability. The Empowerment Center provides no cost one-on-one financial counseling; immediate needs resources; resume/job seeking assistance; homeownership/foreclosure assistance; small business support; budgeting; credit/debt assistance; access to computers; financial/life skills outreach; scholarship/FAFSA resources and more. Natco is committed to changing a culture of hopelessness and defeat by teaching skills that allow people to be self-sufficient. For more information, visit www.natcocu.org.
About CU Strategic Planning
Headquartered in Tacoma, WA, with satellite offices in San Diego and Boston, CU Strategic Planning is the only strategic planning facilitator in the United States with the mission to help credit unions realize their potential through the International Credit Union Operating Principles. It is widely considered the #1 writer of credit union Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) grant applications. No firm serving credit unions writes and wins more CDFI awards than CU Strategic Planning. Its “Miracle Makers” have 100 percent success with CDFI certification. Their signature training program, Community Development Certified Financial Counseling, is a groundbreaking software training and accreditation tool being adopted by award winning CDFI certified credit unions across the country. For more information, visit www.creditunionstrategicplanning.com.