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Fueling A Confident Future

A story of flight, faith, and the steady steps that turned fear of banks into financial confidence.

Meet Rawhi: Father, Husband, and Community Advocate

Rawhi Said’s journey began in former Yugoslavia with a knock at the door and a chilling ultimatum: his family had 24 hours to leave or face deadly consequences. They fled to a Croatian refugee camp, then resettled in Rochester, MN, bringing little more than two suitcases and an iron‑clad determination to rebuild. From those first uncertain steps, Rawhi grew into a Program Director for a major medical system, and a tireless advocate for New Americans. Yet every chapter of that ascent was written in partnership with the credit union that chose to see the person behind the paperwork.

“The country that my family fled from: trust in the financial system wasn’t there. Your money could be in your account one day and it could be gone the next day” - Rawhi Said, First Alliance Credit Union Member

Watch Rawhi’s Full Story in This Video

Trust Begins with a First Job, Not a Credit Score

As a high‑school junior, Rawhi walked into a First Alliance branch looking for work. He’d never balanced a checking account, let alone staffed a teller line. The team welcomed him anyway, teaching him the financial ropes and, more importantly, showing him what dignified service feels like. That early vote of confidence shattered the doubt he carried from a childhood of instability and taught him that money could be safe, transparent, and even empowering.

“That was the first experience I had with First Alliance, believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.” 

 

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A Loan That Lifted More Than Walls

Years later, newly married and eager to renovate his first home, Rawhi needed a modest personal loan. Past memories of closed doors at traditional institutions stirred up nerves, but First Alliance met him with empathy, clear guidance, and immediate answers. The funds arrived, the project was completed ahead of schedule, and every payment reaffirmed his family’s sense of belonging in their adopted community.

“They effectively listened to our story, took care of us, met our needs, and then helped us achieve the dream that we were trying to do as a newly married couple.”

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Service That Travels Half a World Away

Today Rawhi mentors medical students by day and supports refugee families by night. Whether he’s wiring funds overseas at 3 a.m. or pulling up the mobile app between flights, First Alliance is always within reach.

“Having access to my finances day and night is incredibly important to me because my day doesn't run eight to five” 

 

 

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Paying It Forward, Member by Member

From budgeting‑tool tutorials for newly arrived families to youth savings accounts for his toddler daughter, Rawhi now shares the same stability he once craved. He routinely sends New Americans to the credit union, confident they’ll be met with patience, multilingual support, and products designed for first‑time savers.

“It is a financial institution, but it’s community‑serving first, a community‑serving institution first, that happens to be a financial institution.”

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A New Legacy for the Next Generation

Today, Rawhi’s life bears little resemblance to the anxious days when his family fled with two suitcases and a 24‑hour deadline. He now holds a stable career, owns a home, and, most meaningful of all, has a toddler who will never have to memorize the word refugee. For Rawhi, that hard‑won stability is the very definition of the American dream, and First Alliance Credit Union is woven through every thread of it.

“It’s a part of all of the successes and wins that we’ve had in our lives, and they’ve been there every step of the way.” 

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You Deserve a Financial Partner That Shows Up, Listens to Your Story, and Provides Possibilities.

Whether you’re building a new life, navigating your first loan, or searching for a place that sees you beyond your past, First Alliance Credit Union is ready to stand beside you, every hour, every hurdle, every dream.

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Ready to map out your money journey? Chat with the First Alliance team today.

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