Gesa CU celebrates 70

RICHLAND — Gesa Credit Union will celebrate its 70th anniversary next week and will open its first full-service branch outside the state of Washington later this year.

The new branch will be located in Post Falls, Idaho.

Gesa first opened for business July 9, 1953 in Richland, according to a Gesa press release, and currently has 28 branches across the state. The credit union also offers two student-run full-service offices at Washington State University.

Gesa sponsors a number of charitable and educational projects, and allows customers to use a special debit card to participate in raising money for charitable causes, the press release said. The “Local Heroes Grant Program” provides grants for local first responders, veterans, healthcare workers and educators, and is one of the beneficiaries of the debit card donation fund. The fund also helps support the credit union’s involvement in supporting education and giving scholarships.

Gesa has set up an initiative to promote financial education through its “HIgh School Credit Union.” The program sets up Gesa branches in high schools throughout the state, operated by students.