About Us
Our Mission
Lower East Side People’s Federal Credit Union is a non-profit financial cooperative that was organized in 1986 that promotes economic justice and opportunity in NYC neighborhoods. We are owned by our members and dedicated to providing high-quality financial services and community development investments in low-income, immigrant, and other underserved communities.
Our Vision
Lower East Side People’s Federal Credit Union is driven by a vision of thriving, sustainable, and diverse communities where all people live with dignity and are able to contribute fully to their communities and society. We are part of a broader cooperative movement committed to building a just economy and a world in which individuals share ownership and control over finance, their workplaces, housing, and land.
Our History
Lower East Side neighborhood activists organized the Credit Union in 1986 to fill the void left by the closing of the last bank branch in the neighborhood. Today, LES People’s FCU is a nationally-recognized leader in the credit union and community development financial institutions (CDFI) field. We have received numerous federal CDFI Fund awards to support our growth and expansion, and in 2015, we were selected by Opportunity Finance Network to receive the prestigious NEXT Award.
LES People’s FCU has served more than 90,000 families in neighborhoods such as Lower East Side, Central Harlem, East Harlem, North Shore of Staten Island, Jackson Heights and other places, and reinvested over $150 million in housing, business, and consumer loans back into these communities.
