Access Across America
The long struggle to the American Dream for
some becomes even more of a battle when they have no partner to work with them in
dealing with the financial aspects of the fight. The dream of home ownership, saving
for a child’s college education, or investing for the future is seldom achieved
when an individual’s primary financial institution is the local pawnshop, title
loan company or check-cashing outlet.
Accessing the American Dream can become a
reality for more Americans with an approach of empowerment for both individuals
and communities. With their demonstrated heartbeat for extending service to
folks from all walks of life, credit unions can be the financial partner many Americans
are missing in their struggle for a piece of this nation’s economic pie.
It is important that credit unions and the
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) as regulator/insurer realize that credit
unions are part of the solution to this nation’s problems of the lack of economic
empowerment and growth in predatory lending. We must work to see that America’s
credit unions continue its strong performance in meeting these needs and extend
that service even further. Access Across America will seek to build on efforts
by credit unions to create and by NCUA to facilitate economic empowerment for people
from walks of life.
Every day, credit unions are providing the
access for millions of Americans to reach for their part of the American Dream.
NCUA is likewise working daily to make sure that our regulatory process facilitates
this outreach without sacrificing safety and soundness. Together we are seeing
great progress.
Access Across America is our re-statement
of our commitment to seeing that progress continue and manifest itself in the lives
of more Americans who need access to financial empowerment through credit union
membership eligibility and the resulting access to low-cost financial services.