Redwood Credit Union supports affordable housing nonprofits across six counties for International Credit Union Day

Community

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Oct. 28, 2026 — Redwood Credit Union recently joined in the annual worldwide celebration of International Credit Union (ICU) Day, a day to raise awareness and reflect on the positive impact credit unions make in the lives of their members and communities.

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) turned members’ everyday card purchases into support for seven nonprofits working to expand access to stable, affordable housing across the North Bay and San Francisco. For each purchase members made with an RCU Visa® debit or credit card on October 15, RCU donated 25 cents to benefit organizations serving Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Lake, Mendocino and San Francisco counties.

This is part of RCU’s broader efforts to address housing affordability in Northern California through financial coaching, mortgage lending, and down payment assistance grants for eligible homebuyers.

“ICU Day is a celebration of the impact credit unions have on millions of lives around the world,” says RCU President and CEO Brett Martinez. “At its heart, ICU Day is about recognizing the difference we can make when we put our members and communities at the center of everything we do.”

Access to safe, affordable housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing the North Bay and San Francisco. According to the California State Legislative Analyst’s Office, incomes haven’t kept pace with housing costs, creating barriers to financial stability, personal health, and community well-being.

This year, RCU donated more than $64,000, up 9 percent from last year, to nonprofit partners across the region:

Since 2021, RCU’s International Credit Union Day efforts have raised over $315,000 for nonprofits across Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Lake, Mendocino, and San Francisco counties.

Globally, nearly 62,000 credit unions and financial cooperatives serve 420 million members, including about 145 million in the U.S., representing 40% of the nation’s population — and that number continues to grow. Credit unions play a vital role in expanding access to financial services, supporting small business growth and advancing financial literacy.


About Redwood Credit Union
Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service, not-for-profit financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the Greater North Bay and San Francisco. With a mission to passionately serve the best interests of its members, team members, and communities, RCU delivers many ways for its members to save and build money through checking and savings accounts, auto and home loans, credit cards, digital banking, business services, commercial and SBA lending, and more. Wealth management and investment services are available through Redwood Wealth Management, and insurance and auto-purchasing services are also offered through RCU Services Group (RCU’s wholly owned subsidiary). RCU ended September at $10.3 billion in assets and $13.5 billion in assets under management and serves nearly 548,000 members with full-service branches in San Francisco and across the North Bay. For more information, call 1 (800) 479-7928, visit redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for news and updates.

Redwood Credit Union supports afforda...