PHOENIX (STN) – Arizona Financial Credit Union is launching a new effort to close the financial access gap for the state’s underbanked communities.
In the June episode of ‘It Happens at STN‘, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Jason Paprocki introduced Azpire, a new brand designed to provide approachable, inclusive financial services for people living outside the traditional banking system.
“We estimate that at least 600,000 people in Arizona are underbanked,” Paprocki said. “These are folks relying on costly alternatives like check-cashing centers and payday loans, which can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in fees over a lifetime.”
Paprocki explained that many underbanked individuals, especially younger people, don’t have a checking account or a financial home base. Instead, they rely on one-off mobile apps and money service centers that lack the protections, services, and guidance a credit union can offer.
New AZFCU program targets access and inclusion to banking:
Azpire was created to change that dynamic by meeting people where they are, with products and services designed to be more flexible and forgiving.
“We realized we needed to be more approachable,” Paprocki said. “So we created Azpire, an entirely new line of financial services specifically for the underbanked.”
Azpire will offer checking accounts, credit products, and support systems tailored for people with limited or blemished credit histories. The goal is to build trust, restore financial stability, and ultimately reintegrate individuals into the broader financial ecosystem.
Because the team at Arizona Financial knows they can’t do it alone, they’re inviting 10 to 12 community leaders to serve on an advisory board that will help shape the future of Azpire.
“We don’t have all the answers,” Paprocki said. “That’s why we’re asking for help so we can build this together and get it right.”
For more information on the program or to see if you qualify, click here.
