How OCCU is here to empower your financial future

What does it mean to be financially empowered — and why does it matter?

As credit unions and members across the globe celebrate International Credit Union Day, we’ve been thinking a lot about financial empowerment and how it impacts our communities.

When you’re financially empowered, it means you’re in control of your financial situation. You have the knowledge, skills and resources to make money choices that move you closer to your future goals. You feel confident in your ability to overcome roadblocks and make decisions that can change the trajectory of your life.

Financial empowerment leads to financial well-being. Within this state, you’re able to fully meet your financial obligations, you feel secure in your financial future, and you’re free to pursue the enjoyment of life.

Can you imagine an entire community full of financially empowered people? We can.

At OCCU, we’ve long understood the role of credit unions in developing financially empowered members. It’s the reason we exist. Credit unions like us evolved from groups of neighbors who turned away from their dependence on for-profit banks and banded together to invest in each other. Guided by a common set of cooperative principles, they reclaimed their power over their financial future — and helped those around them do the same.

Today, OCCU is still committed to the cooperative principles that have guided the credit union movement since its inception. And these principles continue to help us seed financial empowerment and well-being throughout our communities.

We advocate for a better future

You might not see it when you visit our branch locations or log into MyOCCU Online & Mobile, but we’re working behind the scenes, alongside credit unions across the nation, to advocate for laws and policies geared toward improving your financial outlook. We urge lawmakers to enact policies that will safeguard your private data, provide equitable access to housing, crack down on predatory lending and much more.

By listening to our members’ needs and coordinating with other credit unions to present a united front, we’re helping to ensure your voice gets heard at both the state and national levels.

We show up for you when things get rough

We’ve all been through a lot of changes over the past few years, including some major shifts in the economy. Through it all, we’ve continued to support our members with products and services designed to sustain and uplift you during difficult times. From our member impact program, Priority Cash, expanded mortgage options to fee eliminations, we’re constantly innovating to meet you where you are with flexible solutions that work for you regardless of your financial situation.

The economy always has its ups and downs. We’re here to help you weather the rough patches so you can stay in control of your finances and on track toward your future goals.

We help you build financial resilience

Financial resilience allows you to withstand a financial event that impacts your income or assets — whether that’s another shift in the economy, the loss of a job, a medical emergency or car troubles. Building up enough savings to cover these types of unexpected expenses is the key to developing financial resilience, which is why we’ve created tools such as our Ignite Savings account to help jump-start your savings.

Resilience and empowerment go hand in hand. Your ability to bounce back from challenging life events influences how much control you have over your financial situation in both the present and the future.

As your financial partner, OCCU is invested in helping you create a more empowered financial future. That’s the credit union difference.