LIHU’E, Kauai–Kaua‘i Government Employees FCU has a new, shorter name. It is now Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union.
“We’ve learned over the past few decades that KGEFCU can be hard to say and hard to remember,” CEO and President Monica Belz said in a statement. “While government employees will always be central to our mission, we serve all of Kaua‘i and everyone can be eligible to join.”
The credit union was chartered in 1947 as the Kaua‘i T&C (Territory and County) FCU and noted it had a hand in financing some of the island’s first police cars.
“Known for its commitment to serving kupuna and legacy members, the credit union has continued to grow to include new members and strengthen its core base of government employees with new services and products,” KFCU said in its statement. “Over the years, this commitment has translated to a vibrant model of ‘ohana-based banking that starts with their first $25 deposits.”
As CUToday.info has reported, Kauai Federal has been nationally recognized as a strong disaster relief partner, joining forces with essential service workers to come to the aid of the North Shore in 2018 with mobile banking solutions, transporting food and supplies in dry packs on jet skis.
Strong Role in Disaster Recovery
“Kaua‘i’s historic flooding in 2018, followed by a global pandemic and more recently the Hanalei Hill landslide, have underlined the vital importance of essential service providers,” reported GardenIsland.com. “Kaua‘i FCU has a history of working in partnership with the police, firefighters, EMT’s and the county to deploy disaster relief quickly.”
Kaua‘i FCU is also the first on the island to become a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) under the U.S. Treasury Department in December 2020.
“CDFI opens up a lifeline of federal funding for Kaua‘i,” Belz said. “This model of financing is focused on social impacts and aligns with our mission of putting people over profit.”