U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for June 24

WASHINGTON, June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile
America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO )

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24: CREDIT UNIONS

Profile America -- Wednesday, June 24th. Seventy-five years ago this week,
the U.S. banking industry was reeling from a round of economic woes worse than
those of recent months. On that day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed
the Federal Credit Union Act, making it possible for these institutions to be
formed anywhere in the country. The idea was to create a place for members to
save their money, then use their savings as collateral to guarantee low
interest loans. The first credit union in the U.S. opened 100 years ago in New
Hampshire. Today, there are more than 8,100 federal and state credit unions
around the country, with a membership of nearly 87 million people. Total
assets at these credit unions are over $753 billion. You can find these and
more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p.330
www.ncua.gov
Statistical Abstract 2009, t. 1143

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S.
Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready
to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look
under the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

Rick Reed of the U.S. Census Bureau, +1-301-763-2812, fax: +1-301-763-3762,
Richard.Thomas.Reed-at-census.gov