Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union Puts Members First

Drazen Zigic

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2026, Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union has had a mission of providing high-quality and convenient financial services to the people living in the Hudson County community since 1951. Liberty Savings founders William (Bill) and Catherine (Kay) Miller, two employees of the Jersey City public school system, opened Hudson County School Employees Federal Credit Union with their fellow teachers as their first members. Offering free membership to school employees throughout Hudson County, they ran their small startup out of their own home on Columbia Avenue, doing banking at their kitchen table and growing from just 68 members to 251 members with $39,152 in assets in the first year.

Over the next 25 years, the organization grew, changing its name to Educational Federal Credit Union in 1977 and later merging with several smaller credit unions to grow its reach. With this joining of forces, select employee groups outside of education also became members. In 1986, the organization’s name changed to Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union. Today, almost 200 select employee groups throughout New Jersey do their banking with Liberty Savings, and memberships are open to anyone in Hudson County.

Courtesy of Liberty Savings

“We have kept the core of who we serve, and we still serve teachers, educators, public employees and students – the working people throughout northern New Jersey – without straying from our roots,” says Jim Miller, marketing, community and business development manager.

Hudson County has changed tremendously since 1951. It is no longer home to river railroad terminals and freight yards, soap factories and industrial coffee roasters, pencil factories and razor blade makers. Liberty Savings has changed right along with its community. Sure, there are still savings and checking accounts, but there are also online and mobile banking, mortgages and money market accounts, and products to enhance the financial wellness of members at every stage of their American Dream.

Courtesy of Liberty Savings

Seventy-five years after their founding in 1951, Liberty Savings remains loyal to the old-time values that guided Bill and Kay Miller when they founded the organization. Serving the community and promoting the economic well-being of people in Hudson County is at the core of everything they do, from management and staff being involved in the Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club and the Red Cross, to being part of the Chamber of Commerce.

“We have done all we can to be relevant to the dreams and needs of the community we serve; to serve every person who lives, works or attends school anywhere in Hudson County, and that is probably the biggest evidence of our commitment to the community that there is.”

For more information about Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union, visit lsfcu.org.