Self-Help Shares

Forty years ago, in February 1980, Self-Help began as the Center for Community Self-Help. When we started, we never would have imagined all the challenges and joys that lay ahead.

 Octavia Alexander is a woman who laughs easily and often, but she’s also had her share of tears. In 12 years with First Legacy Community Credit Union, she has experienced the joy of serving members she loves, but also the cycles of a credit union that has gone through both good and hard times. These days she is feeling a new hope for the future as First Legacy merges with Self-Help Credit Union.

" ... the time is always ripe to do right.”

Only four days before he was assassinated, Dr. Martin Luther King spoke these words in an address at the Washington National Cathedral titled “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.”  As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, we are mindful that “the time is always ripe to do right,” and we offer several ways to honor his remarkable life.

New Year’s greetings to all members, partners and friends!

As we start a new year, we at Self-Help Credit Union are excited about expanding services in several new locations as we renew and extend our commitments in Florida and the Carolinas. In 2019, we opened a new branch in Apopka, Florida, moved our Maiden, North Carolina branch, and opened a new branch in Charlotte.

In December, we were excited to welcome a new member of the Self-Help family 

Derek Williams, Capital Development Associate at Self-Help, recently attended the “Capital Matters: Race, Gender and Entrepreneurship” conference held at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. The conference, which included many notable scholars and business leaders, was an opportunity to highlight the gaps in opportunity for various businesses, particularly those that are black-led and/or women-led, and to discuss ways to start resolving these inequities. Derek describes the conference and his takeaways.

In spite of freezing temperatures in Durham, NC, an enthusiastic group of credit union members, board members and staff gathered on the evening of November 13 for the Center for Community Self-Help/Self-Help Credit Union annual meeting. With heartening reports on Self-Help’s impact this year and heart-warming stories from members, for a couple of hours it was easy to forget the cold outside.

Forget goblins and zombies. For over 44 million borrowers, this Halloween there’s nothing more frightening than the next student loan bill lurking in their mailbox. In this post, we talk to Shondra Tanner, our Director of Mortgage Originations, about how student loan debt is posing an obstacle for families who otherwise could qualify to buy their first home. She offers tips for people who are struggling to pay their student loans.

On October 15, John Hervey Wheeler, was honored for dedicating his life to bringing economic opportunity to generations of African Americans. In a ceremony attended by a number of local dignitaries, a federal building in downtown Durham, NC, was officially named in his honor.

In late September, young people across the globe led a series of climate strikes, also known as the Global Week for Future. These actions represented the largest environmental protests that the world has ever seen. Self-Help's Sustainability Director, Melissa Malkin-Weber, describes the day and offers her reflections.