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QUICK LINKS: MEMBER LOGIN |
 
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| © Alternatives Federal Credit Union 125 North Fulton St. Ithaca, NY 14850 Or come in! Transaction Lobby: Monday - Friday 9:00-3:00; Saturday 10:00-1:00 Drive-thru & Walk-up: Monday - Friday Noon - 6:00; Saturday 10:00-1:00 Reception/New Accounts: Monday - Friday 9:00-5:00; Saturday 10:00-1:00 Loan Department & Administration: Monday - Friday 9:00-5:00 Sign-up here for our electronic newsletter. |
Phone Direct Dial: (607)273-4611 - Staff Extensions |
We’ve expanded our space and now we’re expanding our hours to better serve your needs. You will now be able to conduct most of your Credit Union business until 6 pm daily!
Information is now easily available in the lobby with the arrival of our new Kiosks. One has all sorts of loan information, including rates, brochures and applications. One displays member services, including current rates and terms on certificates and information about Ithaca Hours. And the third has RoundOff and two new regular features: One Minute Activist, where a group will be offered a venue to conduct "tabling" activities including petition signing and brochure distribution; and Your Two Cents, where members will have the opportunity to ask questions and give us feedback.
Leni asked if I'm nostalgic for our old building. Not really. To me, it's more like an old pair of pants, a struggle to fit present reality into pleasant memory. Stewart Brand, one of my heroes, from the Whole Earth Catalog, from sustainable small business work, and from the Clock of the Long Now is now writing and talking about How Buildings Learn. He promotes a design process that allows buildings to adapt and learn as our shelter needs change. Shivering my way home one recent Ithaca winter night, Ann Wang pulled me inside her new (our old) building. The interior has a softer more relaxed look. The teller counter has been turned into a wall with oak paneling. The lobby is still a lobby, but with black rattan chairs, grey walls. The Youth Credit Union area is an herbal pharmacy (no more sugar) with creative re-use of the teller returns as stands. Upstairs is more-or-less the same, with the exception of the back porch, which is painted a sunny yellow with rattan easy chairs and plants. I keep noticing how relaxed the new spaces are, or how frantic we used to be. Ann says Alternatives members occasionally rush in at five of three. And stop with a stunned look. Ann has gotten used to this and says,"The Credit Union has moved but I can still use your money." Certainly our new building is a major accomplishment. But, in this changeable world, as Stewart Brand has written, "You can start a building, but you can't finish one."
We have expanded our lobby, and at the same time, increased electronic member services and added a drive-thru so people can stay out of the lobby! We're pleased we can offer such diversified ways of banking. It's an important goal for the Member Service Department. But personally, I'm even more pleased that in 2002 eight of our staff were promoted within the credit union. We take real pleasure in this growth. Our Department is only as good as the people who staff it. All these promotions tell me we're doing a good job. With our new expanded hours and our great staff, our goal is to realize even better, more efficient service to our members in 2003. It's a goal I'm confident we can reach.
The Consumer Loan Department saw quite a few changes in 2002. The goal was to streamline the process to make loans easier to obtain. The year started off with the introduction of our Anytime LoanPhone that allows members to apply for loans by phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our enhanced web page also allows members to apply online with the possibility of a 60 second decision. We've also upgraded our forms to make loan disbursements faster and easier. All this paid off as personal loans and used auto loans remained popular throughout the year. Our Visa Department rolled out a new card design that complemented the move to our new building. A new VISA processor allowed members to receive their new cards faster, choose their own PIN numbers, and gave each person in a joint account their own card number. 2003 promises added enhancements to the Anytime LoanPhone and exciting new products that address credit repair and payday lending.
The Mortgage Department had one of its best years; the number of mortgages increased dramatically. We developed two new mortgage programs, the Fresh Start Mortgage and the Flexible Plus Mortgage, a spin off of our Flexible Mortgage. We also started offering NYSERDA loans for energy efficient upgrades in residential homes. We managed to do all of this amid many changes within the mortgage department, and the move to the new building, which greatly increased our space to work. With all these exciting new changes we expect nothing but good in 2003.
2002 turned out to be a growth year for the Business Loan Department with the addition of Carias Chakuda as the Credit Analyst. Carias assisted Loan Officer Michael Culotta in doubling both the number and dollar amount of new business loans from the previous year. We switched Merchant Credit Card processors to Midwest Payment Systems, which allows for better service as well as the ability to offer businesses the ability to accept debit cards and their own gift cards. The department completed the re-lending of $750,000 in Small Business Administration Microloan funds and plans to apply for an additional $500,000 for 2003. The SBA Microloan program assists in funding Business CENTS and is designed for start-up and expanding businesses.
Business CENTS, our small business training program, has gone through a lot of changes this past year. Besides the name change, two new employees, Leslie and Diane, joined the staff, keeping standards high and members happy. Diane's Internet background and Leslie's agricultural background have been a great addition to the program. We opened the Business Resource Center which is still a work in progress, and launched our program in Tioga County. It's likely that growth and change will be on the agenda for next year. Keep your eye out for our transformation.
2002 has been a banner year for the IDA department. We were granted funding to expand the Assets IDA program by another 50 accounts. We partnered with Tompkins Community Action (TCA) to launch the Energy Savers IDA program to help oil and kerosene users join an oil vendor program and save toward energy efficient home improvements or energy saving appliances. We began translating our financial education curriculum, Money Whys, Money Wise into Spanish. And as if that wasn't enough, IDA participants have achieved great things this year as well. Over the past year, IDA participants saved a total of $28,609.45! To date, 18 people have started or expanded their small businesses, 20 people (6 of whom are youth) are currently attending college, 15 people have made home repairs, and 24 people have purchased homes. These numbers are rising every day. We expect to have an amazing 2003.
The Student Credit Union, with branches in the Ithaca High School, Boynton and ACS, saw a 12% increase in membership from last year to 743 members. We revamped the Dollars for Dreams Boynton branch with a better location, new hours, and the theme, "Savings Day." We teamed up with business classes at IHS to promote their new branch with posters, brochures, a website, and an opening celebration.
