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Annual Members' Meeting
Vallejo, California
Self-Help Federal Credit Union’s Annual Members’ Meeting took place on November 7 at our Vallejo, California branch. We were happy to host many local members, partners, funders and staff. Special guests at the meeting included Dolores Huerta, civil rights activist and icon, and James Cooper, President of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce.  Following a short business meeting, the event focused on celebrating 83 years of impact that the credit union has had in the Vallejo and Napa communities.

Vallejo’s credit union legacy began in 1936 with the founding of the Mare Island Federal Credit Union, which served local ship builders. In the early 1970s the credit union opened a small branch in Vallejo to increase access for members. When the Navy closed the shipyard in 1996, the credit union changed its model to serve a wider community and in 1999 changed its name to 1st Pacific Credit Union. In 2011, 1st Pacific joined the Self-Help Federal Credit Union family, with branches still serving the communities of Napa and Vallejo.
 
You can find out more about this history and see stunning archival photographs in our Vallejo Legacy video, just recently released.

Thank you to all of the staff and supporters who attended the Annual Meeting! You can find the minutes of the meeting here.
Eliminating Chicago's Food Deserts
One Box at a Time
Stacey Minor, a long-time member of Seaway, a Division of Self-Help Federal Credit Union, has a plan to eliminate Chicago’s South Side food deserts.  Stacey is the CEO and founder of Sweet Potato Patch, an organization that uses technology to connect independent, minority and women-owned farms with communities in Chicago’s South Side that do not have accessible fresh produce and healthy options within their neighborhoods. Subscribers will get a box of fresh produce delivered once or twice a month for about $30 per box. The company will also offer ready-to-make meals created by local chefs.  

Stacey herself grew up in a food desert.  A graduate of University of Illinois–Urbana/Champaign, she began her career as one of a handful of the first African American women Plant Biotechnology Scientists for Monsanto, working with farmers across the US, many from marginalized communities.  “They had truckloads of produce just going to waste and we have Urban Food Deserts...It didn’t make sense.” 

Stacey was determined to change the landscape and is on a mission to eliminate the inequities of food deserts everywhere.  Eventually she hopes to expand to Gary, Indiana and East St. Louis, Missouri, where she’s already in talks with the mayors.  

Thank you, Stacey, for spiriting this cause!  We appreciate your trust and membership in Seaway, and we appreciate you for this important work. Sweet Potato Patch is scheduled to launch their services by the end of 2019, just a few weeks from now.  
Tax Season is Near - and We Can Help!
Before long, the holidays will be over, 2020 will be here, and we’ll officially be in tax season. Luckily, getting prepared early can ease the burden of filing your taxes this spring.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income people who file simple tax returns, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. Self-Help Federal branches in Bakersfield, Chicago, Fresno, Lamont, Pittsburg, Porterville, San Diego, San Francisco, West Oakland, and Wilmington are proud to run or partner with local organizations to offer VITA tax preparation services. To locate a VITA site near you, and for a list of what to bring, click here.

In addition to VITA sites, several online companies offer free self-preparation and e-filing services. Click here to find free software based on your income and state.

The IRS typically begins accepting tax returns toward the middle of January. The sooner you get your taxes in, the sooner you'll get any refund due. If you’re looking forward to a refund, consider opening a savings account or adding to savings you already have.
  • At the end of this month we will open our newest lending office at 3886 Crenshaw Blvd., South Los Angeles. In early 2020 we plan to expand the space and open as a full-service branch. If you live in the area, be sure to stop by and say hello!  
  • Interested in volunteering this holiday season? At Volunteer Match, you can get in touch with a nonprofit in your area that needs your help.
  • Five million Americans will visit a food pantry or other charitable food service this week. Self-Help Federal continues its work to fight childhood hunger, partnering with local organizations throughout California and southwest Chicago. Check with your local branch to see how you can participate. 
  • Interested in volunteering at our West Oakland or Pittsburg VITA tax sites in January, February, March and April of 2020? Click here to learn more.
  • Get cash in your pocket! The Sprint Cash Reward Program offers cash to Self-Help Federal members who add a new line or switch to Sprint.
  • Career Opportunities. Do you like what we do at Self-Help Federal? Interested in joining our team, or know someone who might be? Click here for a list of our current job openings.
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Copyright © 2018 Self-Help Federal Credit Union, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Self-Help Federal Credit Union
1970 Broadway, Suite 350
Oakland, CA 94590

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