Metro Credit Union

Metro Credit Union hosted the first inaugural North Shore Hispanic Heritage Celebration on September 24th at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts. The Heritage Gala, which paid tribute to Latino community leaders and partners, featured Keynote Speaker Congressman Seth Moulton and entertainment by Conjuelos’ Production.

In addition to honoring local community leaders, the event was also a celebration of Metro Credit Union’s Juntos Avanzamos designation. Metro is the first financial institution in Massachusetts to receive this designation. The National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions presented Metro with the prestigious Juntos Avanzamos (“Together We Advance”) designation for its commitment to serving and empowering Hispanic consumers.Mayor Kim Driscoll of Salem, who attended the Gala, stated “Congratulations to Metro Credit Union on its Juntos Avanzamos Designation. It was great to see so many people come together to celebrate Hispanic culture and the contributions of the Latino community of Salem and the region.” Laura Marquez-Sanchez, Latino Economic Advancement Advisory Council member, shared “This was a tremendous event. Metro Credit Union has been great to our community, and when we work together, the possibilities are endless.”

During the event, Charlene Bauer, Chief Development Officer for Metro Credit Union, announced the November introduction of new community development loan products for consumers and a new lending program for individuals with Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs). Products were developed with the guidance of Metro’s Latino Economic Advancement Advisory Council (LEACC), a group of Latino leaders from Boston, Chelsea, Lynn, Salem, and soon Lawrence. Bauer stated, “We asked, listened, learned and delivered based on the expertise of our LEACC partners who we celebrated at this Gala event.”


In lieu of traditional ticket sales, guests were invited to make a donation, alongside a donation from Metro Credit Union, to the Immigrant Learning Center, a non-profit organization founded in 1992 that gives immigrants a voice.

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About Metro Credit Union

Metro Credit Union is the largest state-chartered credit union in Massachusetts, approaching $1.8 billion in assets. Metro provides a full range of financial products to more than 200,000 members in Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol and Worcester counties, as well as to over 1,200 companies throughout the Commonwealth.

Founded in 1926, Metro currently operates 15 branch offices in Boston, Burlington, Chelsea, Framingham, Lawrence, Lynn, Melrose, Newton, Peabody, Salem, and Tewksbury.

Learn more at MetroCU.org.



About Juntos Avanzamos
Juntos Avanzamos (“Together We Advance”) is a designation for credit unions committed to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers – helping them navigate the U.S. financial system and providing safe, affordable and relevant financial services. Juntos Avanzamos credit unions employ bilingual, culturally-competent staff and leadership, accept alternative forms of ID and treat all of their members with respect, regardless of immigration status. The Juntos Avanzamos network is growing quickly; it currently includes 80 credit unions in 21 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Learn more about Juntos Avanzamos at www.cdcu.coop/juntosavanzamos.

Sobre Juntos Avanzamos
Juntos Avanzamos es una iniciativa de uniones de crédito para servir y empoderar al consumidor hispano. Están comprometidos a ayudar a los consumidores hispanos e inmigrantes a entender el sistema financiero estadounidense, así como a proporcionar servicios financieros económicos, relevantes y dignos. Las uniones de crédito de Juntos Avanzamos cuentan con personal que habla español, aceptan formas de identificación alternativas (Matrícula Consular, ITIN, ID Municipal) y tratan a todos sus socios con respeto independientemente de su estado migratorio. El grupo está creciendo rápidamente; actualmente incluye 80 uniones de crédito en 21 estados, Puerto Rico y el Distrito de Columbia.