Mission Statement:

To earn the trusted position as your financial solutions partner. For all life's occasions. While remaining invested in our communities.

Core Values:

• Curious
• Empowered
• Compassionate
• Accountable
• Present
• Remarkable

History

In 1938, 20 founding fathers pledged a total of $755 and the credit union launched from the Greenwood Street home of Linus Allain. The idea took hold and the first annual report issued on October 31,1939 recorded the $5,038.20 Members had on deposit and their $3,301.16 in loans.

An official office was opened on Parker Street in 1941 and has seen four major renovations and expansions since. At the ribbon cutting in December 1963, Linus Allain thanked the many parties who made it possible, including “Our Members who stood by us with confidence and unwavering loyalty.” We are proud that this very statement holds true today. GFA has never lost sight of the principles upon which we were founded. "Serving the underserved" and the credit union principle of "people helping people" are what GFA still stands for today.

How We’ve Grown

Of course the expansions at GFA far exceed the Parker Street location. Today we operate 10 branches, offer a robust online banking system, allow members to deposit checks from their home or office and bank with their mobile phone. We serve over 35,000 people in Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. And, through our convenient technology based services we continue to serve many members who have moved to other parts of the country or abroad – taking comfort that they can still rely on the values, fiscal soundness and service of their credit union. To bring our full range of solutions to their members, throughout the years other credit unions have also joined the GFA family. Seven credit unions including Fernald School, S. Bent Brothers, Collier Keyworth, Asnacomet, Fitchburg Community Federal, Marquette, and Cheshire County Federal have merged with GFA, each bringing additional strengths. As a pioneering leader in the credit union landscape, GFA was recognized as the first credit union in the nation to acquire a stock owned savings bank, the former Monadnock Savings Bank. With continued growth, GFA’s basic cooperative structure remains unchanged – as a credit union, when a person opens their first account, they become an equal owner. As such there are no stockholders.

Timeline...

• 1938 - Main location Gardner was founded
• 1978 - GFA acquires Fernald School Employee Credit Union
• 1986 - GFA acquires Collier Keyworth Credit Union
• 1987 - GFA acquires S. Bent Brothers Credit Union
• 1989 - Hubbardston branch opens
• 1989 - GFA Services, Inc. formed
• 1993 - Winchendon branch opens
• 1993 - GFA acquires Marquette Credit Union
• 1997 - Pearson Blvd. branch in Gardner opens
• 2004 - Rutland branch opens
• 2005 - GFA Acquires Asnacomet Credit Union
• 2006 - Rindge branch opens
• 2007 - Fitchburg branch opens
• 2007 - GFA acquires Fitchburg Community Federal Credit Union
• 2009 - Ashburnham branch opens
• 2010 - GFA Insurance Services, LLC is introduced
• 2012 - Peterborough branch opens
• 2013 - Leominster branch opens
• 2016 - Land acquired to build a new Peterborough branch
• 2018 - New Peterborough branch opens
• 2018 - Construction begins on the expansion of our Parker St. branch and headquarters
• 2019 - GFA acquires Keene, NH based Cheshire County Federal Credit Union
• 2020 - Expansion of Parker St. headquarters completed
• 2020 - New Locations for Rindge and Cheshire County branches acquired
• 2021 - New Rindge branch opens
• 2021 - New Cheshire Country branch opens - rebranded as GFA Federal Credit Union | CC Keene Division

Community Commitment

We are more than just your credit union: we are your community partner.

At GFA Federal Credit Union we believe in giving back to the communities in which we serve. That means supporting local schools, organizations, and non-profits that work to better our neighborhoods and towns. Our employees volunteer time to local organizations and we donate to many worthy causes.

The core of our mission is to improve the quality of life for those individuals and businesses we serve, as well as the communities in which they reside. We do this by investing in community/charitable activities and partnering with local non-profit organizations.  

We work with the community and schools to educate on financial literacy, check out our Financial Reality Fair at Gardner High School.

GFA supports:

• Education (emphasis on financial literacy)
• Health and Human Services
• Veterans Services
• Youth Services

GFA does not offer support for:

• Endowments
• Profit organizations
• Groups of less than 20 individuals that will gain from our support
• Individuals or individual fundraising efforts
• Organizations outside our Field of Membership
• Political fundraising or views
• Religious entities
• Unions

How do you submit a request for support contribution?

We award one donation per year, per organization. Our Community Support Team meets once a month to review requests. Please be sure to include all your contact information. Submissions must include:

• A full description of the purpose of the request and how the financial contribution will be used to support the endeavor
• A copy of the tax exempt status
• Any relationship with organization or its officers has with the credit union
• Marketing opportunities for GFA (ex. press release or photo opportunity)
• Partnership opportunities
• Community events, tournaments, and advertising requests must meet the same guidelines

Priority will be given to organizations that are aligned with the areas listed above. As GFA provides funding directly to the United Way, organizations that receive United Way funding may not be eligible for additional monetary donations.

Community Support Form