ESL Community Impact

ESL is proud to be leading the way in helping individuals in our community access the essential financial services, guidance, and support they need to achieve their financial goals. This includes:

• Access to Credit: ESL offers solutions for customers who want to establish or rebuild their credit or who may need to cover unexpected expenses. We know that occasional financial emergencies occur, so we provide access to tools that can help customers through these situations.


• Cash and Payment Services: In addition to meeting the financial needs of our members, ESL also provides a range of products and services to individuals in our community without traditional bank accounts. Convenient choices give customers quick access to money, with clear terms and no surprise fees later. Visit our Cash Services page for additional details.


• Financial Guidance: Through our valuable partnership with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Rochester, we offer our customers free, personalized advice and insights on important topics that are critical to successful financial management—such as understanding credit, managing debt, budgeting, and purchasing a new car or home. Visit our Educational Resources page for useful tools and information on how to improve your finances.


• Community Partnerships: ESL also is actively working to strengthen external conditions to help Rochester-area consumers build assets and financial health. We partner with local non-profits and others throughout our community whose work supports and promotes consumer financial health and prosperity.

At ESL, we believe that when people have proper access to the right financial resources, our whole community benefits. So we’re working hard to make that happen—which is another way ESL answers to you.

Small businesses are the backbone of a strong economy. According to the Alliance for Enterprise Opportunity, “If just one in three Main Street businesses hired one employee, then the U.S. would be at full employment.”

At ESL, we are steadfastly committed to helping small businesses succeed. That’s because in the Rochester region today, it is abundantly clear that small businesses are the driving force for growth—creating new jobs and a stronger, more economically diverse community.

In conjunction with a variety of committed local partners, ESL is working hard to empower and strengthen small businesses in our community by providing them with:

• Business Acumen: We’re gathering and referring relevant experts and resources to provide the right insight and support for small businesses.


• Access to Capital: We’re leveraging existing practices and developing new ones for connecting entrepreneurs with funds to start or expand their small businesses.


• Business Ecosystem: We’re working hard to foster connections between businesses, community partners, and key resources—creating opportunities needed for small businesses to grow.

Our goal? To get and keep small businesses growing—which creates local jobs and helps our local economy. That’s a “win-win” for all, and another example of ESL answering to you.