Credit Unions are member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperatives, designed to offer lower cost financial products and services. Credit Union membership is growing, and our industry has flourished since the philosophy of "people helping people" was founded with the first credit union in 1908. The services we offer are similar to those provided by banks, but our operating structure is very different. Our members are our owners; earnings are returned to them in the way of lower fees, better rates on deposits and loans and free access to convenient services.