History of Freedom
The Beginning
Freedom Credit Union was originally chartered in 1922 as the Western Massachusetts Telephone Workers Credit Union. From a small office in the telephone company building on Worthington Street, the credit union grew until we found a new home on Springfield's Main Street. As a result of telephone company downsizing and reorganization, the credit union chose to expand to include select employee groups, companies in Hampden County that were approved by our Board of Directors to form a credit union partnership with, and offer credit union membership through the workplace to their employees.
Growth
As demand for the benefits of a credit union grew, we applied for a community charter. In January of 2001, membership eligibility was greatly expanded to include anyone who lived or worked in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire counties.
In January 2004, the membership voted to change the credit union's name to Freedom Credit Union. This name better reflects the current demographics of our membership.
Expansion
Our Northampton Branch came about through a merger with FHBT (Franklin Hampshire Building Trades Credit Union) in May 2004. In November of that same year, we opened our Chicopee Branch.
A merger with Four Rivers Federal Credit Union in October of 2005 gave us two more branches in South Deerfield and Turners Falls.
Two more branches opened in 2009. In June, we opened our Greenfield Branch (which absorbed our South Deerfield Branch) and in September, we opened our Feeding Hills Branch.
In June 2010, our Easthampton Branch opened, providing members with two locations in Hampshire County. One year later, we opened our second branch in Springfield on Cooley Street in Sixteen Acres.
Our latest branch opened in September 2012 on Center Street in Ludlow, providing members with five locations in Hampden County.
Freedom Credit Union now boasts nine branches all along the I-91 corridor.
