The Invincible Heritage Family Credit Union—empowering communities with financial wellness

Heritage Family Credit Union (HFCU) is a nonprofit cooperative serving several communities along the east coast, including Bennington County, VT, and the Invincible Level sponsor of the 8^th annual UCS Superhero 5K and Kids’ Dash on November 8, 2025. The annual event brings the community together for a fun day out in downtown Bennington to support United Counseling Service (UCS)’s Teens4Change program. HFCU has been a part of the UCS Superhero 5K and Kids’ Dash from the beginning and looks forward to supporting the event in an even bigger way this year.

“I’m super excited about the Invincible sponsorship this year and powering the Kids’ Dash,” says Mark Grossarth, Community Development Officer at HFCU. “It’s a great year to do this since we’ve powered up with Tri State Area Federal Credit Union (TSAFCU)—we want to do more in the area with the positive energy that they bring. The UCS Superhero 5K and Kids’ Dash is such a great event and so much fun. We’re really happy to be a part of it.”

Now a financial force spanning New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, HFCU has humble beginnings. A group of General Electric employees set up a home base for the credit union in 1956 in Ludlow, VT, with initial deposits totaling $800. Now, HFCU boasts a long history of serving members though a variety of programs and products, including checking and savings accounts for youth and adults, investment opportunities, credit builder, home and car loans, and more.

HFCU’s commitment to community was strong from the start. In 2025, the credit union found a likeminded partner in TSAFCU and combined its $800 million with TSAFCU’s $42 million, multiplying their impact in the Bennington area. HFCU SVP Market President Jim Martinez believed in the partnership long before it came to fruition. “Our whole foundation since I’ve been there was to be like ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’—the Bailey Brothers Building and Loan,” says Jim. HFCU, I saw fitting that. It was the perfect time to team up with HFCU.”

HFCU empowers communities not only through cost-effective services for individuals and families, but also through financial education to promote financial wellness for all ages. Things like budgeting, how to save, and how to write a check are not always taught in schools, leaving students, parents and teachers at a disadvantage. The effects of a lack of financial knowledge are devastating. Young people grow up without the skills they need to become financially sound and may not know how to go about purchasing their first home. Without financial education, individuals are often not equipped to take financial downturns in stride. This is a formula for resulting mental health challenges.

According to Jim, the Covid pandemic intensified the mental health struggles of community members coming through the credit union’s door. He is grateful knowing that he refer people to organizations like UCS, as resources to individuals seeking help.

“I have dealt with mental health issues [of community members] more from Covid than in the last 38 years of my career,” says Jim. “Financial stress keeps people up at night. Financial well-being affects everything—physical, emotional, and mental. If you can give people ways to mitigate [financial challenges], everyone’s better off.”

As the Invincible Level sponsor of the UCS Superhero 5K and Kids’ Dash, HFCU currently offers a series of financial wellness workshops to UCS staff each month, covering topics such as budgeting, homebuying, credit, and fraud prevention. UCS staff ask questions and benefit from the wisdom and experience of HFCU professionals, creating a positive ripple effect in the community.

“We believe in financial wellness, not just selling products,” says Mark. “That’s what I really love about my job, and I feel good about my job. Financial wellness is not just about money—it’s about your mental well-being too. It’s about taking care of your needs. When people are financially sound, they do things like buy homes in their communities, and that builds their communities. It makes our communities thrive.”

To learn more about Heritage Family Credit Union, please visit hfcuvt.com. Please visit ucsvt.org to learn more about United Counseling Service and the programs and services it provides in Bennington County.