Self-Help Credit Union

About

“Self-Help is one of the best credit union opportunities out there. It’s a great way to put your money back into the community just by banking. Your money is not just your investment, it’s an investment in your community when you put it with Self-Help.”
— Franzi Charen, Owner of Hip Replacements and Founder of Asheville Grown Business Alliance

Self-Help Credit Union (SHCU) is a state-chartered, federally insured credit union and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), founded in 1984 in Durham, North Carolina. Member deposits are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), providing safety and security while supporting mission-driven lending. As part of the Center for Community Self-Help family, which includes Self-Help Federal Credit Union, the Self-Help Ventures Fund, and the Center for Responsible Lending, the organization operates with a unified mission: to create and protect ownership and economic opportunity for all.

At its core, Self-Help transforms everyday banking into a powerful engine for community impact. By responsibly leveraging member deposits, the credit union delivers affordable, transparent financial services that help individuals, families, and businesses build long-term financial stability and wealth.

Self-Help serves more than 235,000 members nationwide through digital banking and a network of 80 branches across North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, Illinois, Georgia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Its full-service offerings include checking and savings accounts, term certificates with competitive rates, and fair, affordable loans designed to expand access to credit for low- and moderate-income individuals.

A central focus of Self-Help’s work is advancing homeownership as a pathway to financial security. The credit union provides mortgages with fair terms and reasonable rates while investing in neighborhoods historically impacted by disinvestment and foreclosure, helping families build equity and long-term stability.

Self-Help also plays a critical role in financing economic development by lending to small businesses, nonprofits, and community institutions, including:

• Small businesses that create jobs and build local wealth
• Public charter schools, childcare centers, and faith-based organizations
• Nonprofits and affordable housing developers
• Commercial real estate projects that revitalize neighborhoods and downtowns

Beyond financial services, Self-Help advances policy solutions that promote responsible lending and protect consumers from abusive financial practices. Through research, advocacy, and partnerships with policymakers and industry leaders, the organization works to expand equitable access to capital and strengthen the financial system.

With decades of impact and billions of dollars deployed in financing, Self-Help demonstrates that banking can be both financially sound and socially transformative, turning deposits into opportunity and strengthening communities nationwide.