There’s something people say all the time about veterans: “They served their country.” It’s true, but what’s often left unsaid is the part that matters most.
They chose to serve.
They raised their hands, knowing they might be called into war—choosing a path of service while others pursued college, began their careers, or followed different callings. That choice—to step forward when you don’t have to—is what gives service its meaning.
I know, because I made that choice myself. And when I look at credit unions today, I see a similar spirit.
Credit unions choose to serve differently. They aren’t required to open branches in low-income neighborhoods or offer second-chance accounts to people who’ve been turned away by banks. They do it because it’s who they are. They do it because they believe in people.
As tax reform conversations have ramped up, there’s growing interest in what makes credit unions different—and whether that difference is worth protecting. We often say “people helping people,” but what does that really mean in the eyes of everyday Americans?
It means showing up in ways that matter.
It means doing the work others avoid.
It means saying yes when others say no.
It looks like a credit union that stays open during a storm so families can access emergency cash—even while their own staff are dealing with flooding at home.
It looks like saying “yes” to a car loan for someone who was denied elsewhere so they can get to work and keep their family afloat.
It looks like staff spending their Fridays in local schools, teaching kids how to build credit, avoid debt, and believe in their own future.
It also looks like creating products for small businesses that can’t get a loan anywhere else, waiving fees during a medical emergency, and funding first-time homebuyers who were told it wasn’t possible.
It isn’t just feel-good work—it’s meaningful economic impact. In 2024 alone, credit unions added 3.3 million new members and provided more than $1.4 trillion in affordable loans. And they did so while maintaining an average member satisfaction rate significantly higher than traditional banks.
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, credit unions continue to fill critical gaps—serving communities where banks have pulled out, helping families rebuild credit, and investing in financial literacy for the next generation.
So, what would it look like if credit unions weren’t here?
If they were taxed like for-profit banks, much of that service would disappear—not because they’d want it to, but because the model that makes it possible would collapse under the weight. Credit unions don’t serve shareholders. They serve people. And that difference is what makes them so essential to the communities we call home.
I’ve worn a uniform and I’ve stood beside those who wear the name badges of credit unions. In both spaces, I’ve witnessed what it means to raise your hand and say, “I’ll help.”
Let’s protect the people and institutions that still do.
