Community First, since 1959, has been Doing Good!
Year-End Review
A look at CFCU in 2020

At Community First, 2020 was a year of technology. 

We kicked off the year with the addition of our 24/7 Virtual Banking Assistant, Maggie. Maggie has the ability to help when you have a question about the Credit Union’s products and services. On top of that, she can assist you with a variety of online banking transactions such as balances, transfers, loan payments, bill pay, and more. Maggie can be found on the top of our website, on every page. 

In April, we created 10 “How To” video to show how easy it is to sign up for online and mobile banking, remote deposit a check, how to make an online loan payment, set up bill pay and more. Our goal was to empower Members to utilize these free, safe, and time-saving banking features. Check out our video collection here. If there’s any other “How To” videos you’d like to see, let us know! 

Two months later, we launched our Spanish-language website. This made Community First, the only LOCAL financial institution in our area to have a full, complete, mirror-image Spanish site parallel to its English-language site. Members now have the option to bank in the language they prefer. 

We went contactless in July! Contactless debit cards allow you to pay with a single tap at many of your favorite merchants. Tap-to-pay is faster, easier, and just as secure. Once again, CFCU is the first locally based credit union or bank to offer a contactless feature. As debit cards expire, they will be renewed with the additional contactless feature. But if you’d like one now, you can log into Online Banking, go to Accounts, select Card Services, request New Debit Card, select your Checking and Savings Account and your card design, and you’ll receive your new Contactless Debit Card within 10 business days. It’s that easy. 

Community First has a legacy of being the first to introduce useful technology to Members. We were the first local bank or credit union with “smart” ATMs, the first with a mobile app to make deposits via your smartphone, the first to offer two-way transfers between two financial institutions at no cost, and the first with instant-issue cards right at the branch.

We live up to our name: we put the community first. But we also put our Members first with useful technology!
Honoring our Educational Roots 
Teacher + Administration Loans and AG Loans 
We began our Teacher and Administration Loan Program five years ago in partnership with the North Coast School of Education and Sonoma County Office of Education. This special loan program helps to mitigate the teacher shortage by fast-tracking intern teachers into their full-time roles. Since launching the program, we have funded 101 loans totally nearly $500,000! Community First is the only financial institution that has such a partnership with local schools and educators. After all, it’s in our roots! 

In addition to assisting our local educators, we work with young future farmers through our LOCAL Ag Loan. FFA and 4-H students are able to borrow up to $2,500 per fair season at zero interest and zero fees. This year we provided young AG students with 132 loans, totaling $260,450! 

Though this was a tough year for the students, given that fairs were cancelled due to COVID, they were able to present their animals through virtual livestock shows and auctions. Our county communities came together to show these kids extra support and make sure they were able to sell their animals at a profit. In lieu of our annual Sonoma County Fair sponsorship, Community First shifted that money to make sure that young farmers had a successful season. 

Community First was founded by LOCAL teachers in 1959, and will continue to honor our educational roots by helping to grow the next generation of local teachers and farmers. 
Holiday Giving at Community First 
Toy drop of locations at all CFCU branches
It is officially the holiday season, the season of giving. 2020 has been a roller coaster of a year for many, and we want to ensure our local children will still have a holiday experience.

We’ve partnered with local organizations in Lake, Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties as a toy drop location. Now through mid-December, we are collecting toys at these nine branches: Clearlake, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Lakeport, Novato, Santa Rosa (central and west), and Sebastopol. 

Kids need holiday cheer. This year more than ever. We know our Members will contribute.
Holiday Scams 
Protect yourself, protect your money
Holiday celebrations are approaching, and as we seek to balance celebrating with loved ones and staying safe, we must also be aware of scammers who are scheming ways to steal valuable personal information or money.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 71 percent of consumers plan to do most of their holiday shopping online this year. And as real retailers roll out special holiday deals, scammers will be phishing through fake emails with “special deals.”  These emails and “spoofing” sites are meant to entice you to spend money on products you will never receive. 

These fake websites, are used for harvesting credit card numbers and other personal data that fraudsters can use to commit identity theft. When in doubt, visit the retailer’s website directly. Do no click a link in an email if you do not trust it. 

Here are few other seasonal scams to watch out for: 

Charity scams: it’s the season of giving, and the scammers know it. If you’re planning on donating to your favorite nonprofit, make sure to research the organization to assure your contribution is going to the right organization. Scammers are good at creating fake lookalike websites, and are pushy telemarketers. 

Delivery scams: as holiday packages begin to make their way throughout the country, scammers send out phishing emails disguised as UPS, FedEx, or USPS notifications on incoming or missing deliveries. Links often lead to phony sign-in pages asking for personal information or to a site infested with malware. Be cautious of what link you click on. 

Gift cards scams: when buying a gift card for a loved one, double check the PIN is still covered. Many thieves will write down the card number, and peel off the sticker that hides the PIN. A thief will hope you activate the card, which would then allow them to use the number for online purchases. Always make sure the card’s packaging has not been tampered with. 
707-546-6000
PO Box 6004,
Santa Rosa, CA 95406