Self-Help Shares

By itself, the story of Seaway Bank is remarkable. The bank, opened on the South Side of Chicago in 1965, became one of the largest black-owned banks in America before joining Self-Help last year. Seaway's history is the central story I set out to tell as the producer of Seaway’s legacy documentary.

At the same time, I think the success of Seaway Bank is all the more impactful in the context of many other examples of Black Chicago greatness.

A panel of growers and producers from the eastern part of the state shared their experience at the Wilmington, NC event.

These days it is becoming easier to find locally grown foods in restaurants and grocery stores, but that doesn’t mean the path from farm to table is smooth. Last week Self-Help hosted an event in Wilmington, NC where farmers, seafood producers, food distributors and some of NC’s leading rural and food policy experts discussed the challenges and potential solutions.

Nana Manso (left) with his associate, Anthony Bui, on a job site. Ten years ago Nana received a Self-Help business loan of $8,000. As Nana’s business has grown, Self-Help’s loans have grown, too. Photo by Ricky Leung.

If you follow Self-Help success stories, you might recognize Nana Manso (shown above). For the past decade, we’ve been privileged to witness and support Nana’s success as an entrepreneur. Beginning in 2008 with a microloan, Nana has continued to leverage Self-Help financing to build his business, most recently with a $520,000 loan financed in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Kathryn Beach (left), financial coach for OnTrack, with Self-Help member services representative Kenya Jackson.

Self-Help branches in the Asheville area have teamed up with OnTrack WNC Financial Education and Counseling to offer free financial wellness coaching to Self-Help members. These coaching services give members an opportunity to meet individually with a trained counselor to get a financial check-up and make an action plan to help reach specific financial goals. Sessions are available in two of our branch locations, Hendersonville Road and South French Broad.

Torey Thompson, City Executive of our new Rocky Mount branch office.

As a child Torey Thompson remembers downtown Rocky Mount, North Carolina as the heart of his community. Today Torey is leading Self-Help's new Rocky Mount branch office, which has been a leader in revitalizing an area that is seeing a surge of new enterprises.

A brand new year provides the perfect opportunity to make meaningful life changes, including improved financial wellness. These five financial resolutions can help get your year off to a promising start.

Every year we are inspired by our members' remarkable accomplishments, and 2017 was no exception. Cheers to our new homeowners, creative entrepreneurs, resilient neighborhoods, determined students and all of our members and partners. 

Thanks for all your trust and support this year. From us at Self-Help, this tribute is for you.

When I received the assignment to produce the DuPont Employees Credit Union legacy video, I was excited but somewhat overwhelmed with the challenge to fit their story in a seven-minute video. How could I tell the history of the credit union without first telling the story of the unique employee group who started it?

The DuPont plant brought a diverse group of individuals together who made the best of a work-life balance. Forming a credit union was just one of the ways they helped each other. They also formed other associations that intertwined their lives. These relationships continue today as a reflection on this unique employee group. This video is but a glimpse into their story.  

It’s a pleasure to offer weekly news here at “Self-Help Shares,” and we always have lots to cover. Topics include items like money management tips, special credit union events, financial policies that affect working families and profiles of members and community leaders who inspire us.

Charlene Watson at the closing of her new home

For years, Charlene Watson had the goal of becoming a homeowner. She wanted a house in a safe neighborhood where she and her 15-year-old son could thrive. She also knew that by owning, she could build a stronger financial future.