Dozens of Eastside residents and business owners met with San Antonio Federal Credit Union (SACU) representatives on Aug. 31 for a community dinner and discussion about how SACU’s new Eastside branch can best service the needs of the community.
In cooperation with New Orleans-based community design planning company Concordia, SACU developed a community co-design process that engages neighborhood residents early and often in conversations about the role a financial institution plays in their community. A prototype of the co-design process wrapped up in Southtown earlier this year.
In small groups, attendees were asked, “What do you want from a credit union for the Eastside? What financial products and services are needed? What are the challenges and opportunities in the neighborhood? What should the new location look like? Where should it be located?”
Using the data gathered, Concordia and SACU plan to ensure that the new branch locations are sensitive to local issues. The hope is that the new branch will not just be a bank, but a community center for Eastside residents.
Top image: Eastside community members talk about how San Antonio Credit Union can best service the needs of the community with their new Eastside branch. Photo by Kathryn Boyd-Batstone.
