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ESL Federal Credit Union wins Home Possible RISE Awards from Freddie Mac

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Today, Sept. 1, Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) announced the winners of its Home Possible RISE AwardsSM. The annual program, RISE (Recognizing Individuals for Sustained Excellence), salutes Freddie Mac’s top clients across multiple categories for excellence with Home Possible® mortgages – Freddie Mac’s affordable lending solution for low- to-moderate-income home buyers.

ESL Federal Credit Union, which has a branch in Batavia, earned the following Home Possible RISE Awards:

  • Home Possible RISE Award for Greatest Volume in a specific community;
  • Home Possible RISE Award for Education to customers.

In 2019, ESL Federal Credit Union made homeownership possible for low and moderate income households by providing more than 200 Home Possible mortgage loans totaling approximately $24 million.

“ESL is honored to be recognized by Freddie Mac as a top performer for our efforts supporting homeownership for low- and moderate-income members, first-time homebuyers and underserved communities,” said Tony Holmes, vice president/director, mortgage lending, ESL Federal Credit Union.

“The Home Possible mortgage program is a perfect match for our efforts to improve access to homeownership throughout Greater Rochester. I commend our outstanding team for their work to guide our members through the process to help them achieve their dreams of homeownership.”

The Home Possible RISE Awards combined volume from national Home Possible and Home Possible Advantage mortgage options. Lenders must be active Freddie Mac Seller/Servicers, and correspondent lenders and brokers must originate through those Seller/Servicers. Freddie Mac reviewed 2019 data and awarded the top organizations among several categories.

The complete list of the award winners is available at FreddieMac.com/HomePossible/RISE.

About ESL Federal Credit Union

With 100 years of locally owned history, ESL Federal Credit Union serves as a full-service financial institution to more than 374,000 members. Founded in 1920, the company provides personal banking, business banking, mortgage services and wealth management services through its locally-based 22 branch network, telephone, mobile, online and live chat center.

The Rochester-based financial institution employs approximately 850 people in the Greater Rochester area and holds more than $7.3 billion in assets. Since 1996, ESL has paid out 25 consecutive Owners’ Dividends to its members totaling more than $170 million. The company has appeared on the Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list for nine years since 2010.

ESL Federal Credit Union is headquartered at 225 Chestnut St., in Rochester, and can be found online at www.esl.org

About Freddie Mac

Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we’ve made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders, investors, and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac, and Freddie Mac’s blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

KeyBank announces steps to help protect customers and communities from coronavirus

By Billie Owens

Press release:

CLEVELAND – March 19 -- KeyBank today announced additional steps it will take across its network to support clients and help protect our teammates and our communities from the spread of coronavirus.

Starting today all KeyBank branches will move to serving clients by drive-thru or in its lobbies by appointment only.

This move will allow KeyBank to continue to offer full-service to its clients while also instituting appropriate social-distancing guidelines as recommended by local, state, and federal health authorities.

KeyBank today also said that for those clients who are unfortunately experiencing a hardship, there are specific programs and resources for them. Clients may be eligible for a forbearance or extension, waived fees (late or overdraft) or waived penalties for early CD withdrawal.

Also, KeyBank’s Borrower Assistance program is available for clients with certain loans with KeyBank. More information about these programs are available here.

In addition, next week, KeyBank will launch a resource for qualifying existing clients designed to provide a sense of security – a shorter-term unsecured personal loan. KeyBank’s new Temporary Assistance Loan will be designed to feature same day approval, next-day funding, with very low rates. Full details on this new loan will be available next week.

Changes to Branch Operations

For clients who need basic services, such as withdrawals, deposits, payments, and other transactions, all KeyBank drive-thrus will remain open. ATMs will also be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Clients needing additional services requiring an in-person meeting with a banker, such as loan applications, will be able to meet at a KeyBank branch by calling and making an appointment. Clients can also book an appointment online through individual branch page here.

For information on branch locations, contact information, and drive-thru availability, clients are asked to log on to Key.com and use the branch locator to find their nearest location. KeyBank clients are also always able to access their accounts and perform transactions through online banking at Key.com, digital banking on the KeyBank app, and by calling 1-800-Key2You.

Statement from KeyBank

KeyBank has made the decision to further help reduce the risk our communities face from the spread of coronavirus. These steps include moving all KeyBank branches to drive-thru and appointment only service.

Our primary focus is protecting our clients, employees, and communities, and this decision was not made lightly. These changes will be in place indefinitely. However we will review our branch operations on a regular basis and adjust our plan accordingly. We will continue to follow the advice of the CDC, state, and local authorities for best health practices in our branches and offices.

We ask our clients to check to see which branches have drive-thrus and which are accepting in- person appointments by heading online to key.com, or by calling their branch ahead of time. KeyBank will continue to support our clients through all our channels, including our online and mobile banking, and the ability to use any KeyBank ATM.

For up-to-date information regarding how KeyBank is protecting clients and their finances, as well as programs and assistance for clients facing economic hardship, please log on to: key.com/coronavirus.

ABOUT KEYBANK

KeyBank's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $145 billion at Dec. 31, 2019. It is a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) member.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of over 1,100 branches and more than 1,400 ATMs.

Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit online: KeyBank.

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