Self-Help Shares

 Affordable housing becomes much less affordable if the house comes with high energy costs. Self-Help recently completed renovations on four houses in eastern North Carolina, and has more under renovation now, all with a focus on energy efficiency.  

Toiya Hancock, the sole proprietor of Triad Education Development LLC, opened her educational service during a national recession and persisted through a global pandemic. Through it all, she has provided services for about 450 young students in Greensboro, NC and surrounding cities. Self-Help is honored to be her lending partner and share her story. 

James Sansom works at Self-Help to advance lending to faith-based institutions. "We lend to all faiths. It may be a church. It could be a synagogue. It could be a temple. It just depends on the market, the mission fit and the opportunity. We take a lot of pride in trying to find a way to make the loan versus trying to find reasons not to make the loan. I think that’s a real difference." 

During Black History Month and all year round, we encourage members and friends to support Black-owned enterprises. When you have a need for a product or service, do a Google search for relevant Black-owned businesses or browse one of the directories included in this post.

Self-Help’s mission and history are strongly linked to Black history, and many of the credit unions we have merged with reflect great achievements by local Black leaders. For example, Seaway, a division of Self-Help Federal Credit Union in Chicago, was once the largest Black-owned bank in the Midwest. As we celebrate Black History Month, Franja Brown, a business development director and financial coach at Seaway offers her personal thoughts.

As we expand our services and service area, Self-Help has a lot of job opportunities right now. We are seeking people with a variety of skills who are customer-focused, results-focused and excited about our mission of expanding economic opportunity for all. We have openings in all the states we serve, including places such as Greenville, SC; Jacksonville, FL; the Chicago area; and many locations in California and North Carolina. Here are five great reasons to apply for a Self-Help job.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, celebrating the great man's life and legacy, is fittingly designated as a day of service. As we prepare to celebrate in 2022, we join Dr. King's call to work for justice and find ways to serve while carrying hope. To honor this day, we lift up just a few of our staff members who take time to volunteer in their communities.

We are ending 2021 full of gratitude. To our members, our staff and our partners: thank you. You make this work possible. It's a privilege to join with you as we work together to expand economic opportunity. Hear more in a brief video message from Randy Chambers, executive vice president, and some of our credit union leaders from across the country.

Self-Help Federal Credit Union’s branch in Bakersfield, California soon will have a new neighbor. Plans are in the works to build the Dolores Huerta Peace and Justice Cultural Center on property now occupied by a Self-Help Federal branch. We will be building a new branch at this location as we prepare to welcome a wonderful asset to the community.