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Granite Falls resident finds a home where the heart is

GRANITE FALLS, NC (December 1, 2022) — Maxine Johnson moved to Granite Falls, NC four years ago knowing it was home. In time, her relationship with Shuford Federal Credit Union and Branch Representative Brenda Ballou proved it’s also where the heart is.

Though her family had been in Maryland for thirty years, Maxine was born and raised in North Carolina. Excited to bring them back to her home state, she knew nothing of Granite Falls but met Ballou at church. Their bond and Ballou’s attention soon gave Maxine confidence to ask for something she and her husband had long wanted and would soon realize: her very own home.

“I never thought we would get it to be honest,” Johnson confides. “All my life I wanted to own my own home, yet no banks from Maryland or North Carolina would give my family the opportunity.”

Things in Granite Falls are different. The Shuford FCU branch lives on at the sidewalk that passes a Shuford Mills location turned storage facility. Ballou greets each visitor warmly, and every day intends to help them achieve something they’ve wanted.

It’s with her encouragement and education that Johnson was ready to bloom right where she and her husband already were planted as renters, the owner ready to sell. The loan closed in October 2021 and the process was “easy,” she says. She knows that feeling comes from a special place.

“A credit union gives people more opportunity than the banks. They will go into depth on what to do to build credit, to give information on what we have, and it worked,” Johnson explains. “Most important, they will give someone a chance to fulfill their dream of purchasing a home, like they have done for us.”

The short walk Maxine makes from her home to the branch befits the neighborly connection she and the credit union have with Granite Falls. She loves the peace and quiet, and easy visits with her friend and financial partner right down the street.

“It’s a great feeling when you can help someone achieve a goal no matter if it’s short- or long-term goal,” Ballou reflects. “I am so happy for her and her family, to see them achieve something they have wanted for so long.”