The year was 1969, and it was an exciting time to be living in California.

During this time, the Polish community in Los Angeles was in the midst of its most cohesive and productive period in history. It seemed like almost everyone was a recent immigrant to the U.S. or at least to California. People were excited to be here and anxious to take advantage of the unlimited economic opportunities available.

It was against this backdrop that a very small but dedicated group of volunteers formed the Polish-American Congress Federal Credit Union of Southern California, now simply known as POLAM FCU. The founder’s vision was to form a financial cooperative resource to serve the needs of Polish immigrants.

Since its humble beginnings in the garage of one of its founders, the credit union has grown into a professionally managed financial institution, offering personalized service and a wide range of traditional and hi-tech services.

Over the years the credit union expanded its field of membership to include friends and families of Polish-Americans living in Southern California, individuals living in Southern California that are a member of the Polish American Congress by making a minimal, one-time donation. In 2000 we added Polish American Congress members from Arizona and in 2024 we welcomed members of the Northwest Ohio Polish Cultural Center of Toledo, Ohio.

Even with the growth and expansions, our mission has remained the same: POLAM FCU is dedicated to promoting the well-being and socio-economic advancement of our members.