MEMBER PROFILE

Jacqueline Reeves

My journey began by inquiring about how to purchase a home with my Section 8 counselor at Tompkins Community Action. From there, I was connected with the Family Self Sufficiency program, which made this experience wonderful and easier to understand.

The Homebuyer's Class at Ithaca Neighborhood Housing was an eye opener to all the possibilities and obstacles that I had to complete in order to achieve my goal. All this snowballed into me connecting with Alternatives. Brendan Wilbur and the staff there were helpful in setting up an IDA, a program where I can pay the bills needed to maintain a household and still be able to save. These are both things that I love to do.

The IDA program provides people with information on the steps to homeownership. It's been a great experience for me, and I hope that young people are inspired to follow up on their dreams - if not for themselves - then for the generation that we have the responsibility to raise.

THE ALTERNATIVES GROUP
In order to fulfill our development mission, we've found that at times, a regulated insured financial institution is not the most appropriate vehicle. While we are known as Alternatives Federal Credit Union, some of our most exciting community development work is accomplished through one of the other affiliates in the Alternatives Group. Each of the five corporations in the Group shares a common mission. Each is chartered separately and has an independent Board.

Alternatives Federal Credit Union is a member owned, community development financial institution. Established twenty-four years ago, Alternatives is a non-profit 501 (c) (17) cooperative (run by a member elected volunteer board) offering a full range of traditional credit union services: deposits, transactions and loans. Deposits are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration Share Insurance Fund. The Credit Union provides management services to the Alternatives Group.

Alternatives Community Ventures , as a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) tax exempt corporation, accepts donations for the Alternatives Group. It is through generous donations that many of our mission-focused programs are able to operate: Business CENTS, Individual Development Accounts, GO Fund, and Student Credit Union Program.

Alternatives Fund was the sponsor of Alternatives Federal Credit Union, established in 1970 as a trade association of community groups,cooperatives, worker owned businesses and individuals. The Alternatives Fund provides a field of membership for the Credit Union.

Tompkins County Friends of Alternatives, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2002 to provide opportunities to invest secondary capital in Alternatives Federal Credit Union. Supporters of Alternatives pool their funds in uninsured long-term investments.