Low-Income CUs Deserve Respect

I was dismayed to read the letter to the editor in the Dec. 1 issue , “CUs Can’t Survive On the Low-Income Alone”, by Joseph Visconti, the retired NCUA employee. As a 28-year credit union volunteer and worker, I am glad that Mr. Visconti is retired and doesn’t represent the sentiments of a majority of the credit union movement. “CU’s can’t survive on the Low-Income Alone?” Really? Tell that to the 800,000 members of the 225 community development credit unions in America. Community development credit unions’ assets, loans, and memberships are growing at a faster rate than mainstream credit unions. Each day, low-income, community development credit unions demonstrate that the credit union model can provide financial empowerment for all Americans, including low-income populations. I applaud these community development credit unions and the many mainstream credit unions that have developed strong outreach campaigns into low-income communities. And kudos for Credit Union Times for highlighting these wonderful efforts that define the important difference that the credit union movement provides. Thank goodness that we don’t have to deal with numskulls like Mr. Visconti at the NCUA anymore. We owe much gratitude to Mr. Visconti’s replacements at the NCUA, and countless others in the credit union movement who have a commitment to serving all aspects of our communities, including low- income populations. Jeff Wells, Co-founder Santa Cruz Community Credit Union California