History of Carey Poverello Federal Credit Union

The Carey Poverello Federal Credit Union was organized on April 28, 1950 with 36 members serving the O.L.C. Parish, St. Nicholas Parish in Frenchtown, and St. Joseph Parish in Salem. The credit union was founded by Father Francis Xavier Knopp and Hilda Jacob oversaw the daily operations.

Father Knopp believed the parish credit union would be an instrument of practical charity and parish loyalty. The credit union was named after St. Francis of Assisi who was known as the “Poverello” or the poor man. The original office of the credit union was in a house located at 245 Clay St. Office hours at that time were Wednesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

The founding board of directors included:

  • Ralph Brown – President
  • Father Francis Xavier Knopp – Vice President
  • Hilda Jacob – Treasurer
  • J. A. Vaughn – Secretary
  • Emmet Orians – Board Member
  • Henry O'Flaherty – Board Member
  • Fred Dible – Board Member

To continue to meet the needs of the membership, the credit union has had to grow and expand. The credit union moved from its house on Clay St. to renting space at Our Lady of Consolation School.

The membership continued to expand, resulting in another relocation in June 1995 to its current location at 201 N Vance St.  The larger facility enabled the credit union to provide more service to its members.  At that time the field of membership included O.L.C. Parish, Transfiguration of the Lord Parish and chapels and All Saints Parish and chapels.

In 2016, Carey Poverello Federal Credit Union expanded its field of membership to include any person who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Wyandot, Hancock, Seneca, Crawford and Hardin counties.