Community First Credit Union Launches Special Assistance Program in Response to Pandemic

Unprecedented assistance includes special assistance loans, small business assistance and current loan, mortgage and credit card deferrals and late fee suspensions for members

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 21, 2020 – Community First Credit Union, based in Jacksonville and serving all residents across the First Coast, announces it has deployed a Special Assistance Program to target the extraordinary needs of its Northeast Florida members while they adjust their work, home and financial lives to meet the government regulations and recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The special program webpage is: www.CommunityFirstFL.org/offers/you-can-get-through-this!

Effective Monday, March 23 this special financial relief package includes:

• Payment Deferrals – for current credit cards, auto and personal loans for 90 days.
  • All fees for this program are waived for the period.
• Mortgage Forbearance – for current residential mortgages for 90 days.
• Late Fee Suspension – for all consumer and mortgage loans.
• Pandemic Special Assistance Loan (up to $5,000) – a special personal loan to help provide immediate cash for households impacted by lack of or reduction of work or other issues.
  • Special approval guidelines make the loan available to any current members impacted by the pandemic and who have been members of the credit union since March 16, 2020 or before.
• Business Loan Payment Deferrals – for up to 90 days.

Community First also announced that as of Monday, March 23, it will be operating drive-thrus only and lobbies will be closed temporarily to help protect the safety and health of members and employees. Community First temporarily closed three branches in the network without drive-thrus – the on-campus location at UNF along with the Riverside and Mandarin shopping center locations. The Yulee location is operating a limited visitor rule for its lobby. Community First’s workforce has been reassigned to help with the Special Assistance Program and to keep all loan and mortgage departments operating on normal schedules with all funding options available.

“These are unprecedented times which require unique programs,” said John Hirabayashi, CEO and president of Community First. “This customized, local program is designed to help our members across the First Coast weather the storm and provide certainty and help in a challenging time. Community First has allocated a special contingency budget to help provide the assistance our community needs.”

Community First Credit Union of Florida is a state-chartered credit union based in Jacksonville serving anyone who lives or works on the First Coast. Community First is one of the 10 largest credit unions in the state, serving more than 145,000 members and with assets of $1.8 billion. Community First has 19 locations and 340 employees. A not-for-profit, Community First is a full-service financial institution offering banking, loans, mortgages and investments for consumers and businesses across the First Coast.