OLYMPIA, Wash.–Washington Gov. Jay Inslee offered a strong endorsement for credit unions while speaking to the Northwest Credit Union Association’s Credit Union Day at the Capitol.
Inslee told a group of 200 CU representatives that credit unions are a “pillar of community support in times of crisis.”
“I’ve seen this as Governor in the past three years, the number of times credit unions have been absolutely integral in rebuilding your community,” Inslee said, according to the NWCUA. “I saw it when we had the largest forest fires in Washington state history. We had an area the size of Delaware burn last year. And in every one of those communities in one way or another you’ve helped.” The NWCUA reported that Inslee lauded the Northwest Credit Union Foundation and its contributing credit unions for seeding an emergency fund to help the communities impacted. The Governor also praised credit unions from the Northwest and across the country for coming to the aide of Oso, Wash., following the 2014 mudslide and the raising of $108,000.
“That’s just one reason I love credit unions,” the NWCUA quoted Inslee as saying.
He also praised CUs for their work in financial education and for “being a vital part of a tremendous wave of economic growth we’ve had in the state of Washington.”