Founded in 1942 and originally housed in the dining room of its first president, St. Louis Community Credit Union now has $250 million in assets, 15 branch locations, more than 175 full-time employees, and over 53,000 members. To bring low-cost banking services to “financial deserts,” the credit union also operates three mini-branches within social service agencies. In 2009, St. Louis Community Credit Union became a CDFI, a designation that has helped it secure more than $3.3 million to provide services to low-income, underserved populations. In 2009, the credit union also established a separate nonprofit, Prosperity Connections, which provides free financial education and a nonprofit alternative to payday lending and check cashing services. To date, the nonprofit has supported over 33,000 people.