Credit unions make sure Mainers help Mainers

By Sierra Robichaud

Thursday, Oct.15 marks International Credit Union Day, which affects more Mainers than people may think.

In fact, credit unions have the largest branch network in all of Maine, totaling over 170 branches that serve our communities. Maine is home to more than 750,000 credit union members (about half of the state’s population), who are essentially owners. Unlike banks, credit unions are run by member-owners.

What credit union members come to expect is a neighbor-like relationship — a community. Unlike large corporations, credit unions in Maine are integral parts of Main Street in urban and rural areas, providing people with financial resources and guiding them through the complexities of day-to-day life. These days, many Mainers are struggling to make ends meet, and many more are uncertain about their economic future, making it all the more important to find community resources that can help people feel grounded and optimistic. We need to lean on each other—neighbor to neighbor, people helping people. Even in the age of artificial intelligence, especially because of AI, people still need that human connection.

As a teller at Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union, I witness people’s anxieties, concerns and hopes firsthand. I interact with Mainers on a daily basis, answering questions and making them feel heard. There is more to being a teller than opening and closing accounts. These aren’t transactional relationships; when people come to me with problems, it is our duty to try to solve them.

Credit unions like Sebasticook Valley FCU work together to improve communities, cities and entire states. But it doesn’t just happen; it stems from knowing neighborhoods inside and out, meeting face-to-face with people on the ground, and bringing a family-owned, small business feel to financial service.

As the global economy evolves and technological change sweeps across America, my hope is that credit unions may remain on the forefront of human-centric business. Whether it’s a bank, a credit union or a local restaurant, the hometown feel of doing business can’t be lost in the shuffle, or we all lose out in the end.

My favorite part of the job is greeting members and catching up with them, asking questions that have nothing to do with personal finance. “How was your weekend trip with the family?” “How was your son’s game after school?” “How was your daughter’s recital last night?”

Those are the questions that truly matter. It is infinitely rewarding to see members excited when they come to a branch, engaging in meaningful conversations with our team rather than just coming in for a transaction with little to no interaction.

Working at a credit union also reminds us to give back. Businesses large and small can do good while doing well, and serving the community transcends the bottom line. Whether it is helping a high school student open their first bank account, making a charitable donation or volunteering at the pet shelter down the road, we should all think beyond the job and focus on our community impact.

Working together makes a big difference. This month, Maine’s credit unions are coming togetherfor the $100,000 Ending Hunger Challenge, calling on employees, members, and others to collectively raise $100,000 for people in need through the end of October. Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised about $15 million to combat hunger in Maine, supporting local food pantries, meal sites, and schools to make a meaningful impact for those in need. This initiative is the largest organization-based philanthropic fundraising effort to end hunger in Maine, and credit unions should be proud of that legacy.

As long as we stick to the mission of people helping people, walking the walk and not just talking the talk, credit unions will continue to help Mainers in more ways than one. Today may be our annual reminder, but the hard work happens every day of the year—at the branch and everywhere else.

Robichaud is a teller at Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union