Neighborhood Business Partner Highlight | Heritage Grove CU

Written by Tim Buckley, February 2026

Before credit unions, low and middle-income families saved money in mattresses or a secret nook. When emergencies arose, many risked everything by borrowing from loan sharks. Credit unions, created in the mid-1800s, provided working class people a way to borrow at low rates of interest while creating a nest egg of savings that paid dividends.

Sam Parra grew up in a family of slim means and learned about credit unions from his mom. His grandparents came to California with the Bracero program, and worked for 12  years as migrant workers to save enough to bring their children from Mexico. “My parents separated when I was 14 and I grew up poor, in a rental we could afford only because three generations of family lived and worked together,” Sam recalled.

Sam’s roots became an asset for Salem’s Heritage Grove Credit Union. Part of his Community Relations work involves teaching, but he also oversees financial partnerships growing between the credit union and nonprofits, including CBEL’s neighborhood family councils.

Heritage Grove Federal Credit Union started in Salem, in 1964, serving state government employees. As the population of the Valley grew and diversified, the credit union diversified its membership too, to include anyone living, working, worshiping, or attending school in one of seven mid-Valley counties. These are the same home counties for hundreds of thousands of people whose heritage mirrors Sam’s.

Sam’s path to Salem began in Napa Valley, where he labored in vineyards while working his way through college, studying viticulture business management and marketing - the first in his family to earn a college degree. Being bilingual, outgoing and having a knack for teaching, these were among the things Heritage Grove was looking for as it expanded into the heart of Oregon’s premier wine region.

Sam learned about CBEL a few years ago while teaching entrepreneurship to Latino students at Chemeketa Community College. A chance meeting with CBEL’s Eduardo Angulo led to Sam bringing a resource table on budgeting and finance to the summer Fun Friday events. When he joined Heritage Grove’s staff as their community relations officer, he continued to show up at CBEL events with advice and access to new ideas, able to connect families with services to help them achieve their financial goals.

“One of the keys to building personal and generational wealth is education, and Heritage Grove is heavily committed to that,” Sam said. “I now have the privilege of teaching financial literacy to students in elementary, middle and high school. With the youngest, they’ll learn about budgeting using play money and piggy banks we give away. I’ve also worked with students on three campuses of Portland Community College, set up a booth at Salem’s Saturday Market, and done financial mentoring for the Corvallis Knights collegiate baseball team,” he added.

In 2025, Heritage Grove became a corporate sponsor of CBEL, donating cash to augment the Neighborhood Family Council’s modest budget for events, which includes prizes, toys and gift cards that help families with groceries and transportation.

“One of the great advantages that Heritage Grove provides members is access to loans that other banking institutions wouldn’t risk. People who have no more than an Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN) can open accounts and apply for loans for cars or trucks,” he said. “So, people with only a work visa or a green card can participate in the free market system too. That’s how many people begin to create savings, establish good credit, and generational wealth,” he added. In essence, the American Dream.

CBEL’s model of neighborhood resiliency-building has been so powerful for Sam that he has been coming to the bi-monthly Collaborative gatherings too, and shows up to help the Neighborhood Family Councils set up and clean up for seasonal events. Ah, there’s nothing like creating family where you live. And there’s nothing like having local businesses adopt nonprofits that are supporting families to become more successful.