When 1 in 2 women face abuse in their lifetimes and 99% of those also suffer financial abuse, is it any wonder that women chose the bear? See their stories.

Choose the Bear: Success Stories

Content warning: This article contains references to domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and economic abuse.

Choose The Bear™ Success Stories:
A commitment to caring is just that.

Part of being a financial best friend means that we walk with you through the dark times as well as the bright spots. Which is why we’re proud to say that our Choose The Bear™ initiative has helped 35 women facing the perils economic abuse pivot their lives for the better in just the past year.

She Chose the Bear: A true story of Relentless Care

“A member called in to the Care Center in clear distress, crying, stating she needed to talk to someone, but she couldn’t speak loudly. Our Care Center handled the interaction so wonderfully, asking if she was in a safe space or if she needed assistance contacting authorities. She confirmed she was ok, hearing about us from Northern Michigan Women’s Resource Center, and we were her last hope to get to safety.

Having moved here from another state to be with her partner, and having no access to funds of her own, we were able to get her approval of a personal loan to rent a vehicle and drive back to her home state safely with her family.

When the member came to get her funds, she hugged our team member at the branch and asked her to pass the hug to everyone involved. She truly feels we were her last hope, and she couldn’t express the relief she was feeling. She is ready to take her life back.”

They walked with us: Out of the forest and into a better place

“We’ve helped several survivors get a safe place of their own. One was living with friends in a hotel room for over a year. Another had started a new job but could not save enough for a security deposit. We even helped one survivor who had just managed to get into Section 8 housing but had nothing for her kids. With Choose The Bear™, she was able to get a dresser, beds, and some personal items for the children. It really feels good to be able to do that for them.”

Every story can be a successful one. If you believe that you or a loved one are suffering from economic abuse, visit 

 for resources and information to pivot your trajectory for the better.

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You are Enuff™

Dedicated to helping pivot survivor’s financial trajectories for the better, Choose The Bear™ is our way of supporting women experiencing economic abuse across the state of Michigan. 

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As a supporter of Choose The Bear™ , the Relentless Care Foundation believes in a future where all Michigan communities are just, thriving, and vibrant.

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As advocates and supporters of survivors, the mission of First Step is to eliminate both domestic and sexual violence and to provide comprehensive services to individuals and families impacted by these crimes.

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See how CFCU is sponsoring the Detroit Roller Derby, an all-women's flat track roller derby team in Detroit, Michigan.

CFCU Sponsors Detroit Roller Derby

Community Financial is proud to announce our partnership with 

Why do we love DRD? Because, while they bring grit, heart, and high-octane energy to every skate, hit, and high-five, their mission lines up perfectly with ours. Just like us, they’re all about Belonging, growth, and lifting each other up.

DRD welcomes players of all backgrounds, skill levels, and identities. It’s not just about roller derby—it’s about creating a place where everyone can show up, be seen, and thrive.

From perseverance to teamwork to resilience, DRD athletes are building skills that go far beyond the track. That kind of hustle and heart? It inspires us every day.

By hosting games at Detroit’s iconic Masonic Temple, DRD brings communities together and breathes fresh life into the heart of the city. It's more than a game—it's a gathering.

DRD is powered by strong, smart, bad-ass women—and we’re here for it. Their voice for equality and respect is loud, proud, and rolling full speed ahead.

At home in the D (Just don’t call it a skating rink!)

We believe in what DRD stands for—and we’re honored to support their home season from October through March, right at the 

 in Detroit. And we’re not stopping there. We’re excited to continue that support into the 2025–2026 season.

At every home game, our CFCU Impact Team is in the crowd, chatting with fans, celebrating community, and making Impossible Dreams come true. It’s one of our favorite places to be.

Join us for speed, strength, and serious community spirit

Come catch the action and help us cheer on these phenomenal athletes. (If you’re lucky, you may even score coveted seats on the CFCU Impossible Dreams couch!) Find your game at 

Big news: We’re official sponsors of Detroit Roller Derby!

Big money lessons start small. Discover how student credit unions help kids build real-world money skills, boost confidence, and create healthy financial habits—right from their school! 

5 Reasons Why Parents Love Student Credit Unions at School

Save. Spend. Give.

Saved by the Student Credit Union in 2024!

From saving allowances to setting goals, kids learn by doing. A student credit union gives them a hands-on way to understand how money works—long before their first paycheck. In fact, in 2024, our students hit an average account balance of $359.27 per student.

At well over $300 bucks, that’s actually more than the median checking account balance in the lowest percentile of US households in 2022!* And a great start for the kids powering Michigan’s future.

Students can make deposits, manage their savings, and even handle cash serving as tellers (under adult supervision, of course). It’s a safe, encouraging way to teach accountability, routine, and ownership.

There’s nothing quite like watching your child save up for something on their own. Whether it’s a toy, a gift, or just building up their balance, they get to feel proud of their progress—and motivated to keep going.

They get a head start on financial literacy

Understanding how to manage money is one of the most important life skills. Student credit unions make it fun and approachable with their friends and classmates—so kids aren't left figuring it out on their own later.

We’re a for-impact credit union, and that means we’re here to help—not to sell. These programs are part of our purpose to support Michigan families and build a brighter financial future for the next generation, which is precisely why we give kids the opportunity to run the whole deal themselves, from marketing to CEO. (And, for high schoolers, it looks pretty good on a college application too!)


Ask your child’s school if they have a student credit union program—and if they don’t, let’s start one together. We’re here to help every young dreamer become a confident saver. 

5 Reasons Why Parents Love Student Credit Unions at School 

As the place for savers, we're taking the spreadsheet-planning, reminder-setting, envelope-stuffing, account-watching work out of starting your savings journey, so that you can skip straight to well-seasoned pro status. Save yourself the head-scratching and save $1,378 by automating your savings plan with the 52-Week Savings Challenge!

52-Week Savings Challenge

We may call it a challenge, but there’s nothing challenging about it!

Automatic weekly transfers to savings from any account of your choice

Start at just $1, and increase by $1 every week for 52 weeks

With no restrictions on when you can start your challenge

Saving you a total of $1,378 without a second thought needed!

That savings-momentum is important, so our friends at Debbie are stepping in & stepping it up with bonus rewards when you connect your 52-Week Savings Account! If you haven’t tried out Debbie yet, there’s never been a better time to start!

Take the 52-Week Savings Challenge

Igniting impossible dreams of homeownership

raised for affordable housing in Michigan

A partnership of partnerships: Rallying around our Michigan family

Too often both rural and inner-city communities don’t get the support they need and deserve. Knowing the extreme need for our neighbors across Michigan, the 

 assembled a partnership of partnerships to raise an additional 

 to support affordable housing, from operating capital to educational programs, for Michiganders who need it.

Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Michigan

In Hillman, a rural community just minutes from one of our CFCU branches in Michigan’s north country, Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Michigan is currently building five new, affordable, single-family homes.

In addition to committing an initial $60,000 to cover the land purchase in 2024, the RCF team is partnering with Habitat for Humanity on a federal grant application to help ensure that working people can afford these homes.

 will empower Habitat for Humanity to create Belonging for more first-time buyers by ensuring the biggest barriers to homeownership don’t stand in their way. We do all of this because we see people, not numbers.

Bridging the rural-urban divide: Using our learnings to enhance affordable housing in Detroit

Seeing affordable housing success coming together in Hillman, we’re combining what we learned up north with a little hustle and grind to boost up our neighbors in Detroit.

While rural and urban communities both face very different challenges, they share many of the same underserviced issues around housing... a place that we know we can make a difference.

Working our partnership of partnerships, from Community Financial Credit Union to the FHLBank Indianapolis to the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp., we’ve secured operating and educational funds to help make housing and home ownership affordable and attainable for the big city neighbors we serve every day. And we intend to keep supporting with more down the road.

Not just one (or two!) and done: A commitment to care that is truly relentless

The Relentless Care Foundation isn’t your average charitable foundation. While most charities drop into a community, make a headline and disappear, this latest success is further proof that our RCF team is dedicated to making real change over time. Walking with our partners and making the connections necessary to keep progress moving forward for the good of the community.

There’s more to come for Detroit and Hillman. This summer the RCF is applying for further FHLBank Indianapolis funding, while seeking to secure infrastructure money to expand an affordable neighborhood in Hillman through the MSHDA (Michigan State Housing Development Authority). We can’t wait to see what comes together next!

View all Relentless Care Foundation

Relentless Impact in action

Additional $220k secured for affordable housing in Michigan

See how the Relentless Care Foundation is helping Otsego-Antrim Habitat for Humanity build more affordable housing and preserve existing housing through critical repairs that allow residents to keep their their homes.

Expanding and Preserving Homeownership with Otsego-Antrim Habitat for Humanity

"One of the biggest needs in Otsego County is emergency home repairs," said Felicia Guyot, project manager for Otsego-Antrim Habitat for Humanity. 

"Thanks to the grant from the Relentless Care Foundation, we’re able to address those needs more quickly than before."

The non-profit organization also offers an Aging in Place program that help elderly people preserve their independence by making critical repairs to their house so they can safely stay in their home longer.

Otsego-Antrim Habitat for Humanity

Whether you’re new to giving or a seasoned donor, your support helps us award more grants to Michigan communities.

Give Now

Build Belonging

The Relentless Care Foundation believes in a future where all Michigan communities are just, thriving, and vibrant.

Relentlessly Caring

Make an Impact

Let's do good things

Expanding and Preserving Homeownership in Otsego-Antrim Habitat for Humanity

See how CFCU and the Relentless Care Foundation support healing through art therapy at the New Hope Center for Grief Support.

Healing Through Art at the New Hope Center for Grief Support

"We are so grateful to have received this grant so we can help the bereaved children we serve express their grief through art," said Laurel Neitling, the manager of the Center's Circles of Hope program.

New Hope Center for Grief Support

Cybercriminals aren’t just after the big guys anymore. In fact, small and mid-sized businesses are now at the top of their lists—and your business accounts can be a prime entry point.

Payroll and vendor payments flow through your accounts.

Sensitive data—like employee and customer info—is stored or accessed through digital tools.

A single breach can damage both your finances and your reputation.

Simple security steps that make a big difference

Start with these basics—and treat them like essentials:

: It’s one of the strongest defenses you can enable.

: And change them regularly—no “admin123” allowed.

: Spotting phishing attempts and suspicious links should be second nature.

You don’t have to go it alone. Ask your financial partner what security measures they have in place, like:

Mastercard® ID Theft protection and Zero Liability Protection

Why choose a credit union for your business?

Startups and new apps pop up every day that make big claims about empowering small business. But when it comes to certainty in the bright spots AND the dark moments, it’s hard to know just how much an online partner is actually there for you.

As a for-impact financial institution, CFCU is here to walk with you through the thick and thin with everything from 

All with the kind of support and benefits you can only get from a trusted local business solution with 70 years of experience:

: When you need it, Michigan-based business professionals who understand both your goals and your market are here to pick up the phone.

: Our purpose is to build a stronger Michigan for us all, so you can rest easy knowing that we always put your success ahead of our own profits every day of the week.

Because Relentless Care isn’t just a value—it’s our promise. We’re here to help keep your business, your team, and your money protected.

 today to explore smart, simple ways to safeguard your business accounts.

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Ready for a better business card? Contact us to get started!

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Fuel the engine that keeps your Michigan business running with checking, savings, and money markets designed for the demands of any size business. 

Business Accounts

Looking to grow bigtime? Our experts in commercial real estate mortgages, equipment loans, commercial auto loans and working capital lines of credit can help bring your vision to life. 

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From payments and lockboxes to payroll and HCM/HR automation, let us take the load off you, so you can focus on the big stuff. 

Business Services

Boost your purchasing power with rewards points and easy digital control. Our Mastercard® business credit card is built to keep your business moving.  

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Boost your Michigan-based business to the next level.  

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Cybersecurity and Business Accounts: What Every Michigan Business Needs to Know in 2025

Read how CFCU and the Relentless Care Foundation support the Living and Learning Enrichment Center in providing valuable therapeutic, social, vocational and community support for people with disabilities and their families.

Enriching the Lives of Our Neighbors with Disabilities

The Relentless Care Foundation awarded a grant of $8,000 to the Living and Learning Enrichment Center of Northville, Michigan as part of our Community Mobility philanthropic campaign. This grant will help fund the wages of vocational skills coaches and career development teams at the center, providing valuable job skills to teens, kids and adults with disabilities so they can secure meaningful employment across a wide range of industries.

LLEC

Nancy Pieske shares an emotional story about her work with the First Step program, highlighting the program's ability to help women in Michigan overcoming abusive and unhealthy relationships.

First Step Testimonial

Walking with abuse survivors when they need it most

As a people leader here at CFCU, Nancy has plenty of stories of Belonging and positive impact. To her, some of the most impactful stories come from her frontline work helping survivors of economic abuse and domestic violence pivot their trajectories for the better.

Don’t take our word for it. Hear, firsthand, her emotional stories of women taking their first steps to rest of their lives thanks to 

IPV/DV Content Warning

Choose The Bear Nancy Testimonial Video

Donate to help economic abuse survivors

Taking the First Steps with First Step

Whether you're planning for growth or staying lean, managing cashflow wisely can make all the difference for your business. Here are a few tips to help you clean up and optimize your cashflow. So you can make the most of it when you need it.

Minimize cash drains: Keep more of what you earn

Little fees can add up fast. Here’s how to plug those completely unnecessary leaks:

Choose accounts with zero maintenance fees

 – No monthly fees means more money stays in your pocket. Period.

 – Avoid extra fee hits. Look for business accounts with no minimum balance requirements.

 – Flexibility matters, especially when things are unpredictable.

 – A built-in overdraft buffer gives you peace of mind when timing and cash on hand are tight.

 that keeps your money in your hands with:

No international or foreign transaction fees

Maximize your returns: Let your money work for you

You’re putting in the hustle—your cash should too.

Earn interest AND dividends on your balances

 – Choose accounts that reward your deposits in two ways, not just with interest.

 – If you have more cash on hand, you can make it work harder with higher APYs, zero upkeep fees, and more growth potential. All with the ability to write checks and access your funds when you need them.

 – Leave nothing on the table. Look for points, rebates, or statement credits that actually help your bottom line.

Lower your risk: Protect your business and your balance

In an unpredictable economy, being cash confident is more than a perk—it’s essential. Doublecheck to make sure that your accounts and cards are giving you the greatest confidence possible:

 – Rest easy knowing that your deposits are protected up to $250,000.

 – Added peace of mind for higher balances.

 – Your funds stay steady and secure with guaranteed returns, not dependent on the rollercoaster of the market.

 – Prevent unexpected and unpredictable loses by making sure your business credit card offers:

Cleaning up your cash flow doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right account, card, and partner by your side, you can feel confident even when the market’s a little uncertain. We’re here to help you make smart moves, save more, and protect what matters most.

Let’s talk about how to get your cash working smarter.

 a chat with a Michigan-based CFCU business expert today.

Save your money faster with 10.00% APY** on your first $1,000! Pair it with your CloseEnuff™ Checking using Grow Your Change and make the most of your cashflow! 

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10% APY High Yield Savings

Save like a CD, spend like checking! With higher returns and the ability to easily access your cash, our Money Markets give big savers like you the flexibility to reach your Impossible Dreams! 

Money Market

Maximize Your Flexibility

Get paid for making good financial moves with our app partner, Debbie! 

Meet Debbie

Debbie

From Business Checking and Savings accounts to specialty services, like payroll and more, we’re here to help your Michigan business grow. 

Discover CFCU for Business

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Let’s boost that cashflow even more

Cashflow Clean-Up: How Small Businesses Can Make the Most of Their Cash in an Uncertain Economy

A change that empowered change… once cent at a time

 featuring art by Michigan artists and the highly requested Tap-to-Pay feature, creating a seamless and more secure experience for our members.

And what’s even more beautiful than art by Plymouth’s own Tony Roko…

Or even more awesome than Detroit-inspired photos by Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas of Nine Design + Homes…

Or even more spectacular than tapping for purchases—fast and worry free?

With every purchase made on our new debit cards, Community Financial provides a one-cent donation to a charity of your choice: the Art Foundation, the Ruth Ellis Center, or the Relentless Care Foundation.

Every single swipe helps to create stronger, more vibrant communities in Michigan.

The first-year results blew us away. Card usage soared to an all-time high. Thanks to your swipes, we gave an incredible 

Get Inspired

News

Choose the Bear: Success Stories

News

Big news: We’re official sponsors of Detroit Roller Derby!

News

5 Reasons Why Parents Love Student Credit Unions at School

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52-Week Savings Challenge

News

Additional $220k secured for affordable housing in Michigan

News

Expanding and Preserving Homeownership in Otsego-Antrim Habitat for Humanity

News

Healing Through Art at the New Hope Center for Grief Support

Story

Cybersecurity and Business Accounts: What Every Michigan Business Needs to Know in 2025

News

Enriching the Lives of Our Neighbors with Disabilities

Story

Taking the First Steps with First Step

Story

Cashflow Clean-Up: How Small Businesses Can Make the Most of Their Cash in an Uncertain Economy

News

Beauty is in the Eye of the Cardholder: New CFCU Debit Cards Give $120k for Charity