In 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression, the Federal Credit Union Act became law under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This new law created extraordinary possibilities for people with common bonds to pool their relatively scarce resources for their greater good. Self-determined financing through purchases of shares in a credit union was fresh mortar for building a higher quality of life around the hardships of the Depression. One year after the Federal Credit Union Act was on the books, an organizational meeting was held June 6, 1935 in Salem Senior High School. Twenty teachers signed the certificate and volunteered their time and talents to start Salem Public School Teachers Credit Union, benefiting all employees of Marion County Public Schools and Willamette University.
More than anything else, at Maps Credit Union we believe in lifelong learning—not only about money and finances, but in all areas of life. Whether you're 16 or 61, there are always valuable opportunities to learn. That's why our goal is to help you keep learning—and to keep learning ourselves, as well. We passionately believe that the best way to navigate life's great adventure is to do it together. Our focus on lifelong learning is a result of our proud history as an educators’ credit union, dating back to our start in 1935. While the tools we use to provide lifelong learning have changed throughout our over 75 years in business, the spirit of our commitment has not. Today, we offer frequent educational seminars for members, work one-on-one with members to develop custom solutions and create plans for reaching goals, and publish educational newsletters. Maps Credit Union also believes in the principles of the worldwide credit union movement. As a local financial cooperative, we do things differently than other financial institutions. Our mission, Every Member Benefits, is something we take very seriously. As we operate our business, we measure every decision on this mission. It calls us to focus on giving back to members through affordable loan rates, competitive savings rates, and products and services designed to meet the unique needs of the membership. It is also what inspires us to be actively involved in the communities we serve through volunteerism, charitable giving, sponsorships and more.
