LAFCU: 90 Years Stronger Together

In 2026, Los Angeles Federal Credit Union proudly celebrates 90 years of being stronger together by serving members and our communities. Since 1936, our mission has been simple yet powerful: to provide the best financial services as defined by our members, to maintain a high level of financial stability, and to foster employee growth and achievement. Today, that mission is stronger than ever.

Watch this page for news about upcoming events to commemorate our 90th anniversary.

A Brief Look Back
LAFCU was founded during the Great Depression when a small group of dedicated individuals pooled their resources to help each other through challenging times. What started as a modest cooperative has grown into a trusted financial institution with over $1.2 billion in assets that serves over 75,000 members. This spirit of collaboration and community remains at the heart of everything we do.

90 Years and Counting
Reaching this milestone is a testament to the trust and loyalty of our members. Over the decades, we’ve grown and adapted to meet changing needs, but our core values remain the same: integrity, service, and community. As we look to the future, we’re committed to continuing this tradition with innovative solutions and unwavering support.

Major LAFCU Changes from 1936 to 2026

• 1936: Began with 13 members with $65 total assets.
• 1936: Original name: “Los Angeles City Employees Federal Credit Union.”
• 1936: First “branch” in Downtown Los Angeles was a shared an office in LA City Hall.
• 1936: First accounts were savings, vehicle loans, and personal loans.
• 1946: Had 5,000 members with $1,000,000 total assets.
• 1952: Had 8,000 members with $4,300,000 total assets.
• 1958: Branch offices open in Van Nuys City Hall full-time & LA Harbor part-time.
• 1960: Had 15,000 members with $10,500,000 total assets.
• 1965: First corporate office building built near downtown Los Angeles, CA.
• 1970: Had 19,000 members with $26,600,000 total assets.
• 1981: Checking account introduced.
• 1982: Direct Deposit of Paychecks began.
• 1983: Had 25,000 members with $100,000,000 total assets.
• 1984: First ATM.
• 1985: Name changed to “Los Angeles Federal Credit Union.”
• 1993: Buy & move into our corporate headquarters in Glendale, CA & open our Glendale branch.
• 1995: We join the nationwide CO-OP ATM and Shared Branch networks. In 2026 there are 30,000 ATMs and 5,000 branches.
• 1996: Website created (www.LAFCU.org).
• 1996: Investment services debuts (upgraded in 2008 and 2025).
• 1998: First online banking service (needed a floppy disk to install it).
• 2001: Visa® credit card that earns CURewards.
• 2001: Internet-based online banking service.
• 2002: Debit card debuts.
• 2002: Gardena branch opens.
• 2004: Culver City branch opens.
• 2006: We form the Los Angeles Charitable Association, Inc. This allows anyone living in the counties of LA, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura to become LAFCU members. We also expanded the number of charities to whom LAFCU donates, and participated in more community events
• 2006: Scholarships for students in college.
• 2007: El Monte branch opens.
• 2008: Foreign Currency purchases in our branches.
• 2008: Young Adult Freedom Club.
• 2010: Had 50,000 members with $700,000,000 total assets.
• 2011: Mobile app for account access 24/7.
• 2012: Live chat service.
• 2015: Cerritos branch opens.
• 2015: Apple Pay mobile wallet app for iPhone mobile phone users.
• 2016: Google Pay & Samsung Pay mobile wallet apps for Android mobile phone users.
• 2017: Donated funds to help credit unions and their members impacted by the hurricanes in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico, and the wildfires in Santa Rosa, CA.
• 2017: Coinstar coin-redemption machines: first one in branches.
• 2018: Branch appointment scheduling service from a link on our website.
• 2020: Had 70,000 members with $1.17 billion total assets.
• 2020: Emergency Relief web page to help those impacted by the COVID19 pandemic.
• 2021: Relationship Rewards program created.
• 2022: My Offers 24/7 pre-approved loans inside online banking.
• 2022: Texting to get quick answers using keywords.
• 2022: Connect (“Bank-On”) transaction account.
• 2022: Zelle person-to-person payment program.
• 2022: Courtesy Pay program expanded.
• 2022: Digital branch created.
• 2023: Artificial Intelligent chatbot “Angie” debuts.
• 2024: Montebello branch opens.
• 2026: Have 75,000 members with $1.2 billion total assets.

1936 Trivia

• Books published in 1936: Absalom Absalom (William Faulkner), Double Indemnity (James M. Cain), Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell), How to Win Friends & Influence People (Dale Carnegie), and The Snows of Kilimanjaro (Ernest Hemingway).
• Businesses founded in 1936 that are still here: American Airlines and Bob’s Big Boy Restaurants (first location was in  Glendale, CA!).
• Food products created in 1936 that are still available: Corn Nuts, 5th Avenue Candy Bar, 7Up soda, Cobb Salad, and Alpo Pet Food.
• Inventions from 1936: Phillips Screwdriver, the Shopping Cart,  Band-Aids, Social Security Numbers, Hoover Dam, first NFL Draft, and the Helicopter.
• Movies from 1936:  Mutiny on the Bounty, Top Hat, and The Great Ziegfeld (won Best Picture).
• Songs from 1936: The Way you Look Tonight (Fred Astaire), The Glory of Love (Helen Ward), and Pennies from Heaven (Bing Crosby).
• Toys or Games invented in 1936: Monopoly, LEGOs, and Finger Paints.