Aiming to build wealth and create economic opportunity for underserved people and communities, Alternatives Federal Credit Union serves as a credit union and a nonprofit community development organization, providing traditional deposit and loan services as well as financial education, small business supports, incentivized savings programs, and free tax preparation for low-income people. To promote youth savings, Alternatives operates 11 school-based, youth-focused branches and runs a College Savers Club, through which low-income students can open a 10 percent APR college savings account. To help low-income members build assets, Alternatives’ IDA program provides a 2:1 match to participants for savings directed towards homeownership, post-secondary education, or business development. Also committed to its employees, Alternatives pays all employees a living wage and is the only financial institution certified as a Living Wage Employer by the Tompkins County Workers’ Center.