COMMUNITY IMPACT
We’ve dedicated ourselves to our local communities from the very start. After all, as a member-owned not-for-profit organization, we are the community! We’re pushing ourselves to level-up our care every single day, and we’re excited about everything we have in the works!
In 2023, Community Financial contributed nearly $900,000 to community organizations.
Impact in Action
As our giving has grown, we wanted to grow the ways in which we can help our communities – and the Relentless Care Foundation is our biggest step yet. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, it provides the power and mobility needed to ensure that we’re doing the most we can for the communities we serve.
Educational Work
We’re proud to embrace education throughout our great state! Learning and growing is a lifelong process, so we ensure that we’re aiding Michiganders of all ages. Whether we’re supporting schools' efforts to build smart saving habits for their students or working with our partners to provide adult financial education, we’re serious about being studious.
Student-Run Credit Unions
Our Student-Run Credit Union program introduces students to money management skills by letting them operate as their own members, tellers, accountants, and more! Always growing, this program involves over 20,000 students from elementary to high school across 51 schools.
Scholarships
Each year, the Community Financial Scholarship Fund, along with the Local Impact Alliance, award scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate and CTE trade school degrees. We love seeing our members take their education higher!
Youth Financial Education
We run and support many programs that promote smart money management to our youth. Each year we partner with Junior Achievement for a 5-week program across 50 schools, designed to introduce economic and personal finance concepts.
We also offer youth and student accounts built for ongoing financial education!
Health, Wealth, and Wellness
Financial wellness isn’t an isolated quality, and we want to be sure we’re addressing all factors. When it comes to physical health and food security, an impact of any size can grow into major change. From the individual to the community level, we’re hoping to ease the burden on our friends, families, and neighbors.
Healthy Help
Disease isn’t something that should be fought alone – it takes a community of care to win. Our inaugural In the Cellar fundraising event raised over $900,000 for Children’s Miracle Network, helping to aid them in fighting for the future of our communities.
Cancer Care Agent
We’ve taken more direct health-support action in the form of our Cancer Care Agent program. Designed in partnership with Andy Janning, a financial advocate for cancer patients, we’re building a team of Cancer Care Agents to provide financial relief to people undergoing treatment.
Community Wide Care
We design and continuously modify our services, programs, and practices to fit the needs of all our members. We emphasize understanding and fighting against historically exclusive practices, and we always aim to address the problems that are too often ignored – regardless of how difficult it may be. From small daily purchases to life-changing events, Community Financial is here to extend a helping hand.
Choose the Bear
Financial freedom is vital to a person’s overall freedom, especially when facing abuse and domestic violence. We take great care in serving as reliable, safe, and trustworthy friends to anyone in our communities who faces these hardships.
CloseEnuff™ $50 Overdraft Buffer
CloseEnuff™ is one of the first checking accounts in Michigan to automatically give members a $50 overdraft buffer. We’ve also reduced fees for going beyond this buffer, so our members can worry less and take advantage of their cashflow more.
H-Ope! Affordable Housing
We have completely overhauled our mortgage processes, removing common barriers to homeownership and giving more Michiganders a path to accessible and affordable housing. By end of 2023, we reached $5,726,761 in home loan origination through our Affordable Housing Initiative.