Posts in category News & Events

Holiday Financial Safety Tips

Keep your holidays merry and bright with these tips to help you watch your wallet, shop wisely, and protect your personal information. Here are a few important tips for consumers offered by the Federal Trade Commission:

Make a list and a budget. Look for the best deals by comparing prices and use coupons if available. Consider how much you’re willing to put on your credit card, and how long it might take to pay it off.
Do your research. Read reviews and recommendations about the product, seller, and warranties from sources you trust. If you’re shopping online, check for reports that items were never delivered or not as advertised.
Keep track of your purchases. Make sure the scanned price is right and keep your receipts. If you shop online, keep copies of your order number, the refund and return policies, and shipping costs. Have your packages delivered to a secure location. Treat gift cards like cash and keep them in safe place.
Online shopping? Pay by credit card. Credit cards can give you extra protection for most online purchases and many cards offer benefits, like protection for returns and purchases. If unauthorized charges pop up on your statement, you’ll be able to dispute those charges. Credit card protections can vary, so check with your issuer to understand all your card’s protections.
Buy gift cards for gifts, not for payments. Gift cards can make great gifts, but they’re also a scammer’s favorite way to steal your money. Anyone who contacts you and demands that you pay them with a gift card, for any reason, is always a scammer. Report gift card scams to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Learn even more at ftc.gov/giftcards.
Research charities before you donate. With the generous spirit of the holidays, make sure your donation goes where you want it to, not into the hands of a scammer. If someone calls, asking you to give to a charity, don’t let them rush you into making a donation. Instead, research the charity to make sure your donation counts. Visit ftc.gov/charity to learn more.

Wishing you happy and safe holidays!

Annual Shred Day

We held our annual Shred Day on October 26. Members of the Credit Union board, supervisory committee, and staff were on hand to assist members as they brought sensitive materials to be shred. This event was held alongside CUKind Day, a nationwide event dedicated to spreading kindness and giving back to the communities where credit unions serve.

MCCFCU Receives Chamber Phoenix Award

We were so honored to receive a Phoenix Award at the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony!

Our Credit Union was recognized in the Growth Service category for:

Construction of our new 10,000 square foot Hermitage office and $6 million investment in our community
Providing local fire departments access to our former building to conduct fire safety training prior to demolition
Donating a tree from our property to serve as the City of Hermitage’s Christmas tree in 2023
Supporting and sponsoring a variety of programs and events throughout the community including our scholarship program and financial literacy initiatives

Thank you to the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce for this recognition! We look forward to serving our members and the community for years to come in our beautiful new office!

Mercer County Community FCU Contributes $5,000 to Junior Achievement

On June 27, 2024, Mercer County Community Federal Credit Union contributed $5,000 to Junior Achievement (JA) of Western PA. With the help of this donation, made possible through a grant from the CrossState Credit Union Foundation, JA programming can continue to provide valuable lessons to hundreds of students in Mercer County area schools that promote financial capability, work and career readiness, and business ownership.

Mercer County Community FCU staff members volunteered during the months of June and July to teach financial literacy lessons to students attending the Buhl Park Summer Camp. Each week, elementary students participated in interactive sessions where they learned about money, the importance of saving and giving, and the value of work. “Introducing these early lessons on earning and saving money is important for the youth in our community,” said Sandi Carangi, CEO of Mercer County Community FCU. For more information about Junior Achievement, visit www.westernpa.ja.org.

Mercer County Community FCU Celebrates Grand Opening and Donates $2,500 to Non-Profit Organizations

In May, Mercer County Community Federal Credit Union opened their new Hermitage branch and celebrated with a Grand Opening Giveaway. Five winners were selected from a drawing and each person received a $500 Visa gift card. To further display the credit union philosophy of “people helping people,” the credit union gave each winner the opportunity to choose a 501(c)3 non-profit organization for the credit union to donate a total of $2,500.

The organizations that each received $500 donations were:
Shenango Valley Urban League
Joshua’s Haven City Mission
Salvation Army
Prince of Peace
Folds of Honor of Western PA

“We made the decision to celebrate the grand opening of our new Hermitage branch with this type of giveaway as a way for our credit union to give back to our community,” said Sandi Carangi, CEO.

Mercer County Community FCU Receives Financial Literacy Award

On May 20, 2024, Mercer County Community Federal Credit Union received a Leaders in Financial Literacy Award from the CrossState Credit Union Foundation at their Annual Convention. This award was presented to Mercer County Community FCU for their support of financial literacy by partnering with Junior Achievement of Western PA (JA) and sponsoring students from Mercer County to participate in the JA BizTown experience.

The JA BizTown program involved 167 fifth graders from Ionta Elementary School in Hermitage and started with classroom lessons on personal economics and basic finances. Students then put those lessons into action when they spent a day at the JA BizTown facility, an interactive mock town that simulates the various roles in a thriving community and helps students learn the reality of the business world.

The Financial Literacy Award included $2,500 to further support financial literacy in the community. Plans are already in place for additional students from local school districts to participate in the JA BizTown experience in the coming school year.

Also at the Annual Convention, Leah Beckert, Administrative Assistant at Mercer County Community FCU, was a top ten finalist in the CU Ambassador Contest with her project entitled “What You Didn’t Learn in School – Young Adult Savings Club.” The CU Ambassador program recognizes young adult professionals who present their ideas for credit union initiatives that would benefit their credit union and the community.

View the video from the awards presentation: https://vimeo.com/951247223?share=copy

Grand Opening Giveaway Winners

Mercer County Community FCU Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Celebrate New Hermitage Branch

On May 29, 2024, Mercer County Community Federal Credit Union celebrated the opening of their newly constructed Hermitage branch office, located at 559 N. Hermitage Road. The new 10,000 square foot facility features a modern atmosphere, additional loan and member service representative offices, and is designed to serve the needs of the credit union’s growing membership. A large training center in the building will be dedicated to the founders of the credit union, a group of local educators.

Sandi Carangi, the CEO for Mercer County Community FCU, was joined by the Credit Union Board of Directors, Supervisory Committee, staff and community leaders at the ribbon cutting ceremony. “We are very thankful for the many local businesses, organizations and everyone in our community who helped us throughout the construction process over the past year,” said Sandi Carangi. “We could not have done this without the support of our members and the community.”

In addition to this office, the credit union also maintains a second office at 428 Sharpsville Avenue in Sharon, PA. PWCampbell, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA was the design/build firm for the project.

$500 VISA Gift Card Grand Opening Giveaway

Celebrate with us the whole month of May and be sure to enter our grand opening giveaway. A total of 5 (five) winners will be selected from the entries. Each winner will receive a $500 Visa gift card*. In addition, a $500 donation will be made to a charitable organization of the winner’s choice. The drawing will be held on May 31, 2024. Visit the credit union May 1, 2024 through May 31, 2024 to obtain an entry form. Entry forms, official rules and all giveaway details will be available in the coming weeks.
*$500 to be given away as a Visa gift card. Visa is not a sponsor of this promotion.

Spreading Kindness and Goodwill on CU Kind Day 2023

Mercer County Community FCU wrapped up 2023 by joining the CrossState Credit Union Association network to spread kindness and goodwill in the name of CU Kind Day. Credit union board members and staff taught financial literacy classes, volunteered at the local library, the performing arts center, animal shelter, farmer’s market and various social service organizations. In addition, the credit union made a financial donation to each of the local non-profit groups.