Planting the Seeds of Empowerment in Lower Yakima Valley, Washington

Lower Valley Credit Union was founded in 1958 in the basement of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Yakima, Washington, to support underserved farm, labor and seasonal employees. They started operations by collecting deposits in a shoebox, and record-keeping responsibilities rotated among the founding members.    

Lower Yakima Valley is an area known for its friendly culture and lush landscape dotted with orchards: apples, cherries, peaches, pears and nectarines. The rich farmland also produces wine grapes and hops, valued by wine and beer producers, and many other crops that are important to the American economy.  

Lower Valley Credit Union merged with Self-Help Federal Credit Union in 2021. In 2024, we completed a video about the legacy of Lower Valley Credit Union and its contributions to the Self-Help family.