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A small Maryland credit union has expanded its membership eligibility to include members of the Financial Fitness Association (FFA), a national financial literacy non-profit based in San Francisco.

According to a May 19 announcement from the $112 million, Owings Mills, Md.-based First Eagle Federal Credit Union, it will open up membership to anyone who enrolls in FFA and will also cover the first annual $8 FFA membership fee for people who join the credit union through the non-profit.

The benefits of an FFA membership include access to educational resources on how to guard against identity theft, manage and improve credit, transition from school to a career, create a financial plan and more, First Eagle said. FFA provides a financial literacy library of podcasts, worksheets, checklists, calculators, videos, quarterly newsletters and articles to its members.

"We strive to 'Make Life Better' for our members through everything we offer," First Eagle CEO Art Brock stated. "Our partnership with FFA provides members with access to resources that will help them do exactly that and opens membership to more people. This way, members will have access to not only vital financial education, but also credit union membership benefits, such as the better rates and better service they deserve. Our partnership with FFA is just another way membership at First Eagle truly does make life better for even more people."

First Eagle joined a list of 29 other credit unions that allow members of FFA to bank with their institution. The $2.2 billion Meriwest Credit Union in San Jose, Calif., announced its partnership with FFA last December.

First Eagle membership is also open to U.S. employees of American General Companies, Zurich American Insurance Company, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital & MedStar National Rehabilitation Network and several Select Employer Groups. It currently serves 8,275 members, according to its most recent Call Report.

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Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.