Juneteenth is a day to honor freedom and resilience and to be honest about the work that remains. For TFCU, that work includes a clear commitment: financial tools and access should be available to every member of our community, in every neighborhood, without exception.

What This Means for You

Access to a checking account, a savings account, a loan with fair terms, or a branch you can actually walk into, these things are not luxuries. They are infrastructure. And for too long, too many communities have been systematically priced out, fee’d out, or simply left out of the financial system entirely.

At Tucson Federal Credit Union, equity is not a value statement that lives on a website. It is reflected in where we build branches, who we partner with, and how we structure the accounts we offer. This Juneteenth, we want to be specific about what that commitment looks like because specificity is what turns intention into accountability.

Eight Locations. More on the Way.

TFCU currently operates eight branch locations across Pima County. That footprint is intentional. When a credit union opens a branch in a neighborhood that has not historically had access to a community financial institution, it changes what is possible for the people who live there. It means someone can walk in, sit down with a person who knows their community, and build a financial relationship — without traveling across town, without navigating a call center, and without paying fees designed for someone else’s circumstances.

We are not done. TFCU is actively growing its presence across town because we believe that access should be geographic as well as financial. More branches mean more neighbors with a seat at the table.

Bank On: A Partnership Built for the Underserved

The Bank On program, administered nationally by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, exists to solve a specific problem: millions of Americans — disproportionately in lower-income communities and communities of color — are unbanked or underbanked, often because traditional accounts come loaded with fees, minimums, and penalty structures that make them financially inaccessible.

TFCU is a certified Bank On partner. That means our Bank On-certified accounts meet national standards for affordability and access: no minimum balance requirements to avoid fees, no overdraft fees, and a genuine on-ramp to the financial system for people who have been locked out of it.

This is not a charity program. It is a recognition that the traditional banking model has failed too many people — and that a credit union committed to community equity has both the opportunity and the obligation to do something about it.

Financial Equity as a Commitment

Equity in financial services means that your zip code, your credit history, or the size of your balance should not determine whether you have access to a real account, a real branch, and a real relationship with the people managing your money. It means that the tools available to higher-income communities should not be categorically different from what is available to everyone else.

For TFCU, this commitment is expressed in the locations we choose for branches, the accounts we design, the partners we align with, and the staff we hire to reflect the communities we serve. It is ongoing, imperfect, and worth naming directly — especially on a day like today.

Proudly Tucson — Now and Next

Juneteenth is a moment to honor freedom, acknowledge history, and recommit to the work of equity that continues. At TFCU, that work takes the form of branch expansion into underserved neighborhoods, Bank On certified accounts for those who need them most, and a daily commitment to being a credit union that serves all of Southern Arizona — not just the parts that have always had access. We are proud of the progress. We are clear-eyed about what remains.

Mini-FAQ

What is Bank On?

Bank On is a national initiative administered by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund that connects individuals to safe, affordable bank and credit union accounts. TFCU is a certified Bank On partner, offering accounts that meet national standards for low fees, no overdraft charges, and open access.

How does branch location reflect financial equity?

When TFCU opens a branch in a neighborhood that has historically lacked access to community financial institutions, it creates an on-ramp for residents who may not have had a local, trustworthy financial option before. Geographic access is a meaningful component of financial equity.

How can I learn more about Bank On accounts at TFCU?

Visit any TFCU branch or tfcu.org to learn about account options, including those designed for members who are new to banking or rebuilding their financial foundation.