Kauai Federal Credit Union

Finding solutions to strengthen the social fabric of our island is what we do.

Kalukalu at 1624, a project of Kauai Federal Credit Union, is excited to officially welcome Kauai Makerspace as one of its first partners in the former Otsuka building, opened by the credit union as an economic resilience center in February 2024. “Kauai Makerspace is happy to announce that we are now set up in a new space and fortunate to be a part of Kalukalu at 1624 in Kapaa,” says Richard (Rich) O’Reilly, a retired mechanical engineer and president of Kauai Makerspace since 2018. Equipped with 16 3D printers, laser cutting machines, CNC routers, sewing machines, a wood lathe, drill press, band saw, vinyl cutters and four Raspberry pi units, Kauai Makerspace is a community-operated 501(c)3 where people with common interests, often in computers, machining, technology, science, or electronics, can meet, socialize and collaborate. Kauai Makerspace will open at Kalukalu at 1624 in early September. Memberships are available to middle school students and adults for a monthly fee of $20 to cover rent and supplies. Classes will also be offered to home school students and other groups interested in using the space for STEM camps and workshops. Rich O’Reilly, with a lifetime passion for machining and years of experience in injection mold making and product design in the aerospace, industry will teach classes in Robotics (including Aduino and Raspberry pi), CAD design, White Metal (Pewter) Casting, Resin Casting, Metal Embossing and more. “We are excited to open our doors in partnership with the Kauai Makerspace, as an incubator for experiential, hands-on learning in STEM in a family friendly environment,” says Sean Kaley, Interim CEO, Kauai Federal Credit Union. “Our collaboration reflects Kauai FCU’s intention to partner with the community to support innovation and entrepreneurship, especially for youth.” Local entrepreneur Macey Dickerson is one of the first members to test out the Makerspace at Kalukalu at 1624, using the laser cutter to custom design jewelry constructed from local wood, preserved plants and microplastics gathered from the east side shoreline. She calls the Makerspace “a super accessible, amazing resource.” As a small business owner rooted in nature inspired art, Dickerson donates 25% of her jewelry sales to Black to the Land’s Urban Forest School, empowering black and brown children through outdoor education. Through hiking, exploration and outdoor learning, the program fosters sustainable practices and cultural appreciation, nurturing a legacy of environmental stewardship for generations to come. #stem #cooperative #stewardship #makerspace #CAD #3Dprinting #art #design #kapaa #kauai KAUAI MAKERSPACE

Kauai FCU and Kalukalu@1624 are pleased to welcome Kanaka Maoli Filipino musician Maluhia Castillo to the team! From Hawaii and raised in Washington State, Maluhia has spent much of his life making music with people from all walks of life, from Carnegie Hall to streetside busking in Central Mexico. Now living full-time on the island of Kauai, Maluhia has dedicated himself to uplifting local communities around the island, teaching music at Hawaiian charter schools, performing with various local musicians and getting involved in social justice and community resilience work as part of our team. Mahalo, Maluhia, for helping to make Kauai a vibrant, healthy community that embodies its rich history and culture. #banklocal #kauaifcu #kalukalu1624 #creditunion #CDFI #kauai

The East Kaua‘i Community and Circulation Plan (EKCCP) is a long-range plan to envision and shape the East Kauaʻi district over the next 20 years, to 2045. It is part of a broader effort to ensure our community's growth and development aligns with our shared values and needs. On July 25, we welcomed the project team for the EKCCP to Kalukalu at 1624 to share information and findings of early technical studies conducted on the needs of the district, realizing the purpose of a space for collective visioning and discussion around the desired future for East Kaua'i. Mahalo to all the community members who came out to share their mana'o. To learn more, visit: https://lnkd.in/g_irFAze

🌺 Happy #ILoveMyCreditUnion Day! 🌺 Today, we’re celebrating all the reasons we love Kauai FCU, and we want to hear from YOU! Share your stories and experiences with us using the hashtag #ILoveMyCreditUnion and tag us @KauaiFCU. We’ll be featuring our favorite posts! Need some inspiration? Here are a few ideas: #ILoveMyCreditUnion because they put money back into our community, allowing me to #banklocal! #ILoveMyCreditUnion because they had the lowest rate on the loan for my new car! #ILoveMyCreditUnion because they are always volunteering in the community! Let’s spread the love and show everyone why Kauai FCU is the best!

An initiative led by Kauai Federal Credit Union aimed at addressing home ownership challenges has won the first Racial Economic Equity Catalyst Award presented by Filene, along with the $10,000 prize that goes with it. Our Chief Impact Officer Hazelmae Overturf was on hand to accept the award. Seeking to play a role in boosting homeownership among Native Hawaiians, Kaua’i FCU entered into a partnership to do two things: create a downpayment assistance program and a cesspool-to-septic conversion program. As CUToday.info reports, the REE network seeks to build generational wealth, financial and climate resilience, and equity through access for underserved populations. Its partners include Hawaii Community Lending, FHLB Des Moines, Hoakeolapono Trades Academy. Home Buyer Grant Program “Overturf said when KFCU asked members and communities what was their greatest need, the response was assistance with downpayments and other closing costs. “To that end the credit union worked with the FHLB-Des Moines and its downpayment assistance and financial counseling program. That included $25,000 grants for every family that is qualified. Cesspool-to-Septic Conversion “Kauai may be known as the Garden Isle, but it is also home to more than 8,000 cesspools for collecting waste, according to Overturf. Not only is that a health issue, it’s also an obstacle to homeownership, as no permit for construction or home improvements will be granted if a property has a cesspool. “But with the average cost of a cesspool-to-septic conversion averaging $40,000, it’s a huge hurdle on top of everything else, said Overturf. “In response, KFCU partnered to create a cesspool-to-septic loan, which allows for the building of additional housing units and for people to stay in houses, she said. “The long-term outcome is income generation, increased inventory, a decrease in migration and positive ecological improvements,” said Overturf. The programs launched in April of this year. To date $300,000 has been provided; $1 million in green loans made; 12 DPA grants have been deployed; more than 50 clients have been counseled, and 30 cesspools have been converted. Mahalo Filene Research Institute Hawaiian Community Assets Hawaii Community Lending Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Hoakeolapono Trades Academy. https://lnkd.in/gaTFNEaV

Construction at @Kalukalu1624 continues as excitement builds for new partner and program announcements in August and September. #creditunion #evolution #communitybuilding #kauai

How do our members benefit as members of a CDFI credit union? The CDFI Fund is one of the Federal government's best market-based strategies for leveraging private dollars. CDFIs leverage $12 of private capital for every $1 of public investment. Investing in CDFIs generates billions of dollars annually in the form of loans to create jobs and grow businesses, build homes, increase job mobility, expand access to affordable healthcare and childcare, and create financial capability to expand consumer purchasing power. Inclusiv, the community finance authority for the credit union industry represents over 9 million members in low-income communities across the US. Costco Wholesale is the latest partner to join the Inclusiv Impact Deposits Fund, which invests social impact deposits in community development credit unions to expand economic opportunities and resiliency. Costco’s $3 million commitment to the Inclusiv Impact Deposits Fund will support 12 MDI and CDFI credit unions working in a broad range of both urban and rural communities, including Kauai FCU. “This commitment from Costco demonstrates how corporations can effectively support MDI and CDFI credit unions in serving their local communities to strengthen financial well-being and create economic opportunities. Costco’s deposit will benefit more than 350,000 homeowners, small business owners and households across the country by helping twelve high-impact credit unions grow their affordable financial services and responsible lending. By working with mission-driven partners like Costco, the Inclusiv Impact Deposits Fund is reducing inequalities and building resiliency in historically underinvested communities,” said Cathie Mahon, President/CEO, Inclusiv At Kaua’i FCU, partnerships such as this enable us to grow our loan portfolio and strengthen the social fabric of our community. So that we can be here for you when you need us the most. 💚 Inclusiv Costco Wholesale Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) https://lnkd.in/gxEX7gYm

Sean Kaley – Get to Know Our CEO Twenty years ago, our newly appointed Interim CEO Sean Kaley, decided a change of scenery was warranted and hopped on a flight to Kauai to take on a position as teller and FSR (Financial Services Representative) at Kauaʻi Community FCU. Two years earlier, he had walked into Premier Members Federal Credit Union in Colorado, bachelor's degree and resume in hand, with no idea what a credit union was. Like so many life‑altering decisions, that one opened his eyes to how the credit union movement touches so many people. In his first role on Kauai, as a hybrid teller and member service representative, Sean expanded his knowledge, opening accounts and moving into a loan counselor role, transferring to the high volume Kapaa branch. A year later, he became Financial Services Supervisor, overseeing the Waimea and Eleele offices. The move took him from lending back to his primary focus managing teller and member services. In 2006, family obligations led Sean to return to his hometown in Colorado where he landed a job as the Loan Department Manager at the Bank of Colorado, overseeing loan processing for the region and serving as the resident expert for a new lending platform. “As much as I loved my job at Bank of Colorado,” he says, “I only lasted a year in Glenwood Springs before I realized how much my time in Hawaiʻi had changed me.” The aloha spirit had taken hold. Sean called his former manager at Kauaʻi Community FCU (now Gather FCU) in January of 2007. As luck would have it, the Financial Services Supervisor role had just opened at the Kukui Grove office. He immediately made plans to move back to Kauai. Sean worked his way up from Loan Officer to Financial Services Supervisor to Vice President, Risk Management at Gather with responsibility for consumer loan underwriting and origination, supervision of branch operations, and management of the credit union’s audit and Enterprise Risk Management programs. He graduated from the Western CUNA Management School with High Honors in 2016. In 2018, Sean joined Kauaʻi FCU as Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, bridging the gap between vision and strategy and day‑to‑day operations. As Interim CEO he will lead Kauaʻi FCU in its next phase, overseeing the credit unionʻs strategic plan and mobilizing community and capital to ensure all members of our community thrive. “I love what I do,” Sean says, “and I take pride in having contributed to the success of three credit unions over the years. I believe in the credit union movement and the good that we do for our members and the community. I am excited by what we are creating as the islandʻs first CDFI credit union. Change is inevitable. We will constantly grow and evolve with technology and the changing needs of our members. But as long as I am here there will be one constant – Kauaʻi FCU will remain a credit union ‘of Kauai and for Kauai, dedicated to those who teach, care for, protect and build our island.’

Kaua'i Federal Credit Union is pleased to announced the appointment of Hazelmae Overturf as Chief Impact Officer, supporting the organization in meeting our mission and purpose as a proud Community Development Credit Union. As part of the executive leadership team, Hazelmae will oversee Community Impact (including our Foundation), Business Development, Lending, and Human Resources teams. Her work centers around equity, honoring our host culture, "knew" regenerative economic models, and stewarding climate resiliency--all cooperatively. As she stated in an interview last year with Credit Union National Association magazine, credit unions were built for this purpose: coming together to take care of the greater community. In accepting her new responsibilities, she draws on the phrase "Bahala na", which translates positively to "determination in the face of uncertainty" and core Filipino values of hope, self efficacy, optimistic acceptance and courage. Needless to say, these are values Hazelmae embodies and we are grateful for her creativity, knowledge and optimism in support of our members and our community. Bahala na. Photo credit: CUNA