At whatever life stage or level of wealth, Georgia's credit union members rely on their credit unions to help them afford their lives. The 2016 Helping People Afford Life Outreach Report by Georgia Credit Union Affiliates illustrates the myriad of ways credit unions do that every day. Through the products and services they offer, the money they save members and the impact they make on their communities, credit unions are built to serve members in ways for-profit financial institutions aren't.

According to the HPAL report - which is based on credit union survey results - 71 percent of Georgia credit unions offer or plan to offer credit building loans, 71 percent have (or plan to have) a credit card program for members with no credit history and 80 percent host financial literacy programs. A whopping 93 percent offer or plan to offer "second chance" checking accounts for members who can't qualify for a traditional checking account.

"We hear stories every day about the ways credit unions are improving the lives of their members," said GCUA President and CEO Mike Mercer. "When people are seeking solid financial footing, when they want good advice from people they know have their best interest at heart, when they want to be welcomed and treated with respect, they turn to credit unions."

Across the board, credit unions offer lower interest rates on loan products, a higher rate of return on savings products and lower fees on checking accounts, credit cards and loan closing costs as compared to other financial institutions. In fact, according to the semi-annual Georgia Membership Benefits Report released by GCUA, Georgia credit union members reaped direct financial benefits of $184.8 million in 2015. A common illustrative example is an average savings of $560 in interest over the life of a $25,000 new auto loan.

Beyond those numbers, and beyond the branch walls, 80 percent of Georgia credit unions surveyed made monetary donations to charitable programs in 2015. Around the state credit unions donated 14,260 volunteer hours. This translates to $328,986 of volunteer labor contributed by Georgia credit unions. They held 1,480 educational events attended by 17,325 people.

Collectively, Georgia credit unions raised or donated $2.1 million for charitable initiatives last year. Sixty-three percent made monetary donations to national or state foundations and 57 percent had board or staff members participate in community non-profit events.

"We see the numbers, and they are an important part of the story," Mercer said. "But at the heart of it, it's not about the numbers. It's about the people whose lives are better because they have a trusted and valuable partner in their credit union."