A Message From Our President & CEO
To our valued members and communities,
In a time of uncertainty, it is more important than ever for our members and communities to know that they can count on us. We are proud to be your trusted financial partner, and we encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We have over 80 years of experience, and although this is undeniably unprecedented, we are resilient, and we will get through this together.
Our top priority has been and always will be our members and our employees. Although, what we would have considered priority with normalcy such as a handshake and face to face relationship building has now changed to providing you the very best, uninterrupted banking service at a distance.
On the inside we are doing our very best for our employees. We have asked employees to stay home if they are not feeling well, we are working with their needs regarding the ever changing environment of caring for themselves and their family members and we are giving them the tools needed to perform their jobs remotely if necessary, and remain healthy.
On Tuesday, March 18th the decision was made to process transactions through drive-up service only at all GFA locations except for Keene, NH where we are limiting the maximum number of members in the lobby at a given time to five. Today, using our online and mobile banking options may be the most effective, convenient and safest way to bank with us in the current environment. Please also note that all GFA ATMs will remain fully stocked and available to provide you the convenience and safety of not leaving your vehicle if you need to transact business. And, if you find yourself in a financial hardship during this time we have solutions ready to help. We offer a Skip-A-Pay option for up to two consecutive payments, as well as a short term personal bridge loan. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have regarding digital banking, account assistance or your finances in general – we are here to help.
Governor Baker issued a Stay at Home mandate, effective today, Tuesday, March 24th. All financial institutions are exempt from this order as they have been deemed essential to our economy. As such, our drive-up service will remain in place and our Keene branch will remain open, with a reduction in hours. Our support staff will be on location, as well as working remotely, to ensure service is uninterrupted.
Our annual meeting, previously scheduled for April 22nd has been canceled and will be rescheduled later in the year. As soon as we have a firm date, we will advise all members accordingly. We had a great 2019 and wish to share the success of your credit union when the time is appropriate.
As a reminder and a peace of mind, GFA Federal Credit Union is a Federally insured Credit Union backed by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, the NCUSIF. What that means to you as a member is that your funds up to $250,000 are fully insured by the federal government and all deposits in excess of that federal limit are insured IN FULL through the Massachusetts Share Insurance Corporation (MSIC). With that please know that through this time of uncertainty, and after - we will be here, and so will your trusted funds.
We are confident that our progressive business continuity plan, built on our strategic pillars of community, employees, technology , members , and growth will allow us to make the most effective, informed decisions regarding the local and national updates, keeping you apprised of any changes and providing the Better Banking experience you have come to know and expect from GFA.
I am truly inspired as I see communities, our nation and the world coming together to fight this pandemic. I am also in awe over the level of support from the entire GFA team as we work together to ensure our members are served, without interruption. At GFA we are part of your community and we are dedicated to supporting you through this unprecedented time. Please stay safe and know that you can count on us – we are all in this together.
These are indeed challenging times, and together we will ensure that we all come out of these troubling times. Until then, on behalf of the entire GFA family, be safe and be well.
Sincerely,
Tina M. Sbrega, President & CEO