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The credit union movement began in 1844 in Rochdale, England, with a strong focus placed on working with the community to provide products and services that helped Members achieve their life goals and dreams. This idea spread across the world, and credit unions flourished. The credit union movement grew quickly, with credit unions first showing up in Germany around the 1850s, then across the ocean into Canada. The first credit union in the United States was formed in the early 1900s and by World War II, there was at least one credit union in almost every state.

With the popularity of the credit union movement on the rise, a need gradually emerged to establish an annual occasion to celebrate the positive impact credit unions make on the lives of its Members. By 1948, credit union leaders in the U.S. felt strongly enough about the idea to set aside a day to bring Members together. As a result, on the third Thursday of every October, credit unions celebrate a simple idea, that by working together, people can improve their financial well-being.

After all this time, the principles of credit unions have remained unchanged. Credit unions are still:

• People coming together to be their own bank, so no one can deny them a path to prosperity.
• People pooling their savings to provide each other affordable credit.
• People helping people.

“People helping people,” this year’s International Credit Union Day theme, is the foundational philosophy of the credit union movement that believes with the help of your neighbors, you can improve your financial security. Today, credit union Membership extends over 100 million people in the U.S. and more than 200 million worldwide. The International Credit Union Day has become quite a monumental celebration!

Consumers Credit Union will join in the celebration with credit unions worldwide to commemorate International Credit Union Day. From 9:00 am until 5:00 pm on October 15th, Officers, Directors, Managers, and staff at Consumers Credit Union will be on hand to greet Members in honor of this celebration.

For those who choose to visit a Consumers Credit Union Service Center on this day will enjoy snacks, refreshments, a free gift, and learn some interesting information about International Credit Union Day.

So as Consumers Credit Union celebrates credit union month this October, know that we’re thanking you for belonging to a movement that’s helping your neighbors and people around the world grow, thrive, and follow their dreams.