The History of Community Plus FCU

Proudly serving the Chanute base and Rantoul-Chanute community since 1943.

On August 9, 1943, twelve civil service employees of Chanute Field met in the Civilian Personnel Office. With the experience of the Great Depression fresh in their minds, their goal was to create a safe and convenient place for employees to save and borrow money.

The group selected 9 of those present to sit on the newly-formed Board of Directors for the credit union. By the end of the next month, there were 47 members and assets totaled $580! At the end of World War II, the credit union had more than quintupled in size to $3,290 in assets.

Peace did not bring an end to the air base or the credit union. During the Cold War, Korea, and Vietnam War, civilian employment remained high at Chanute and the credit union’s services expanded.

Opening Services to the Community

The credit union grew with the support and membership of civil service employees in the 50’s through the 70’s. In the early 1980’s, the base was under consideration for closure. With the future of the base uncertain, members chose to open up the credit union to the surrounding area to ensure that it could continue to thrive by welcoming new members in the community. 10 years before the eventual closure of the base, the credit union moved to a new stand-alone location in the community.

During the transitions to a community credit union and federal charter, there were a number of name changes. The Rantoul-Chanute Community Credit Union became Credit Union Plus. To emphasize the relationship with the community and the federal charter, the name finally became Community Plus Federal Credit Union.

Always

The name and the charter have changed over the years, but some things will always stay the same. We remain a safe place for members to save their money and improve their financial health. We continue to be a place to find fair loans that help members reasonably afford the things they use everyday.

Community Plus Federal Credit Union will always be a financial partner for its members. The credit union achieves its purpose by finding new ways to help members discover financial freedom. If you are ready for a partner that will help you on your road to a bright financial future, we hope you’ll join us.