A year of growth at Strata Credit Union

Strata Credit Union celebrated its Día de los Muertos Member Appreciation Event on Friday, complete with traditional Mexican pan dulce, hot chocolate, custom Strata tumblers and lively entertainment from Radio Lobo. The festive gathering featured raffles, face painting and games for kids, while sharing resources and highlighting the support services available to members.

The celebration also marked Strata Credit Union's upcoming one-year anniversary on the 30th, and CEO Brandon Ivie shared his excitement: "It's been great," he said in an interview. "We're really helping the community. The word is getting out about how we can help with financial needs. It was a little slow in the beginning, but things have picked up. Right now, we're offering auto loan refinance promotions, which has brought in a lot of people, helping to lower their rates and payments on their vehicles."

Ivie noted that Strata members are seeking checking accounts and ITIN auto loans, as traditional banks typically don't lend to individuals with an ITIN, those without a social security number. "Members are also utilizing our Wealth Builder CD, which helps them save consistently. These resources are superior to what you'd find at a traditional bank."

When discussing whether they have met their goals for the year, he explained that there are no specific financial or loan targets for the branch. "Our accomplishment is that we are here to serve the community. That is what credit unions are about. It's people helping people." He also emphasized that Strata's mission is to serve the underbanked and unbanked, adding, "And I feel we are doing just that. We are a not-for-profit organization, so the money we make is reinvested back into the community and into our members."

Elizabeth Lagunas is the branch manager and has loved the last year. "It's been wonderful helping the residents of Wasco and offering products that benefit them. Not only is it completely free, but we really care about our members."

She takes pride in how her team spends time with each member to make them feel valued "and make them feel like family. We see them as a member. There's a difference between a regular bank client and a Strata member. The difference is a client is a number, and a member is someone we care about their financial well-being."