Self-Help Shares

September 15-October 15 is Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month, which is a time to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Latino/Hispanic American communities. September 15 was chosen as the start of this month-long celebration because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of five Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua).

In honor of this month, Self-Help is focusing on how we can support economic opportunity for our Latino/Hispanic communities. For this blog post, we asked a handful of the incredible Latino/Hispanic experts at Self-Help: What is one unique financial challenge and/or opportunity that you have observed within the Latino/Hispanic community, and what advice would you offer to help navigate this?

We are excited to share their responses with you!

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular, and we can understand why. They’re better for the environment and – we're told – better for our wallets. But with the higher starting purchase prices of many EVs, do they really end up saving you money?

In this blog post, we will discuss the current market of EVs, the pros and cons of choosing an electric vehicle for your next car, and how much you might be able to save.

^{CheSa is the owner of CheSa's Bistro and Bar in Chicago, IL.} 

August is Black Business Month, and we are honored to be celebrating the accomplishments of all the incredible Black-owned businesses that have enriched our communities.

CheSa is one such business owner in Chicago, and her story of determination, creativity, and resilience is an incredible reminder of what it means to adapt in pursuit of a dream.

^{Images of owners of businesses that Self-Help has worked with}

Happy Black-owned Business Month! At Self-Help, we are honored to celebrate and support Black entrepreneurs.

In 2021, only 2.8% of businesses in the U.S. were Black-owned, even though Black people make up roughly 14% of the country’s population.¹ This discrepancy is why it’s important to make conscious efforts to champion Black-owned businesses. At Self-Help, we believe that entrepreneurs of all backgrounds should have the opportunity to succeed, but there are many barriers to racially equitable business ownership.

In this post, we will discuss the potential reasons for why there are so few Black-owned businesses and why community banks and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) can serve as an important resource.

July 26^th marks the anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. This landmark civil rights law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and ensures accessibility across public buildings, businesses, communications, transportation, and employment.

In this blog post, we cover the history behind the ADA, its key components, and the positive changes that have resulted from its enactment.

Happy Disability Pride Month! July marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability. While we have come a long way as a society in recognizing and accommodating various disabilities, there is still so much work to be done to make our spaces and systems truly accessible.

One of the major challenges that people with disabilities often go through is the additional costs that can come with supporting a disability or making an environment more accessible through things like adaptive technologies and home modifications.

In this blog post, we will be discussing the financial effects of ableism and providing some helpful tips and resources to support people with disabilities.

Our 2023 Annual Report is now available! Through 2023, we have continued to demonstrate significant impact and are grateful to be part of your community.

We are excited to give you the numbers, share some incredible member stories, and let you know how we plan on continuing to create economic opportunity and promote financial inclusion for all.

^{Self-Help employees outside the state Capitol building during 2024 Pride in Sacramento, CA}

Happy LGBTQIA+ Pride Month!

With the new waves of anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment and the 532 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills that the ACLU is currently tracking, it is more important than ever to show our support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

At Self-Help, we understand that our focus on uplifting underrepresented groups must include queer folks, who are often discriminated against in the housing and financial services industries. In honor of this month, let’s take some time to recognize some of the ways Self-Help has worked to support LGBTQIA+ communities.

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) is a holiday commemorating the end of chattel slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 that news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Galveston, TX, letting the last people who were enslaved in the U.S. know they were free. It is considered a second Independence Day and is also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day.

Juneteenth became the newest federal holiday in 2021, which means many of us are still learning about its significance. At Self-Help, we’re honoring this important holiday by getting a better understanding of the meaning behind some of the iconic Juneteenth symbols and traditions.

^{Tae Park, entrepreneur and borrower with Self-Help Credit Union, stands outside his grocery store, International Foods, in Raleigh, NC. Circa 2012.} 

While most of us have adjusted to living in a post-lockdown world, it’s hard not to acknowledge the deep, lasting impacts that COVID continues to have on our lives.  

In this article, we discuss the challenges that AANHPI businesses have faced due to the pandemic and how we can uplift these businesses this Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and beyond.

This May, Self-Help is honoring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month!

To achieve our mission of economic opportunity for all, we are actively working to close the racial wealth gap. But too often, AANHPI communities are left out of conversations about economic inequality and financial empowerment.

In this post, we explore some of the dynamics that affect the financial well-being of AANHPI people and share some financial tips for people in the AANHPI community.

At Self-Help, we honor Black History Month by highlighting some of the many stories, people and issues that resonate with us. We acknowledge that diversity and inclusion are some of our strongest tools in our work towards authentic equity. We note where we could do better, and we celebrate successes. 

But just as we don’t practice gratitude only on Thanksgiving or offer affection to our loved ones only on Valentine’s Day, we also don’t just celebrate Black history during February. Instead, we aim to integrate celebration, equity and inclusion into our work throughout the year.

We appreciate that many within our community have a similar year-round commitment to equity. In this post, we share a snippet of a recent conversation between Kimberly Jones, Vice President and Director of Partnerships & Community Engagement for our Midwest region, and community leader and entrepreneur Sarah Ware. We hope you find it as thought-provoking as we did!

^{April Snow Gilbert, Area Manager, stands with the Black history display in Self-Help Federal CU’s Chatham branch in Chicago.}

It has been a festive February at Self-Help as we celebrate Black History Month! The nationwide theme for 2024 is “African Americans and the Arts.” Our branches are marking the occasion in a variety of special ways, ranging from live music and art exhibits to neighborhood tours. Otherwise, lifting up Black achievements and recognizing Black history as America’s history is just part of who we are and the everyday work we do to expand economic opportunities for all.

Here are just a few examples of Self-Help activities this month.

Over the next four weeks, Self-Help staff and members across our branches will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. As I join with my colleagues in the celebration, I find myself reflecting on what “Hispanic Heritage" means to me.  

Are you trying to reach a big financial goal but feel stuck? 

Whether it's dealing with significant student loan debt, building credit, or trying to become a homeowner, the path forward can feel insurmountable. But it doesn't have to be that way!

Wherever you are in your financial journey, you don't have to walk alone. We're here to walk with you.

In this short video, two of our wonderful coaching clients and their coaches share their stories. These clients were facing heavy student loan debt and other intimidating challenges, but with the support of their coaches, they persevered and became homeowners!