SUITLAND, Md. – Andrews Federal Credit Union today announced the development of a new program designed to support military and Department of Defense families in Europe.

The war in Ukraine continues to impact the European region, and military families stationed overseas have felt the impact of higher utility costs as countries seek to end or decrease their dependence on Russian-supplied energy resources. In Belgium, utility bills will double this year and the average family can expect to pay €6,000 (approximately $6,600 in American dollars) for energy this year.

To offset the financial strain created by this increase in utility costs, Andrews Federal has created a utility relief assistance loan for its overseas members. This loan was developed following discussions between Andrews Federal executives/board volunteers and garrison leadership at the locations where Andrews Federal has a European presence.

According to Andrews Federal President and CEO Ken Orgeron, the credit union has a long history of being attentive to challenging factors that impact its military members. “From the very beginning, Andrews Federal has been committed to serving our military service members and providing them the resources they need to manage their finances,” Orgeron said. “When garrison leadership shared the challenges faced by their communities, we were ready to do the right thing, step in and help our military families with these unprecedented expenses. ”

If members choose to take advantage of the loan, they will request the needed loan amount, then submit a utility bill to the credit union. Andrews Federal will pay the utility service directly and will offer the loan at a 0.00% APR interest rate for 12 months.

According to Andrews Federal Vice President of European Operations Rachel Rust, this program exemplifies the strong partnerships Andrews Federal’s team has built within its overseas communities. “Because of our longstanding partnership with USAG Benelux, Andrews Federal was aligned to provide crucial assistance during this unprecedented time and to develop a product that exemplifies the level of support we are committed to providing our military communities,” Rust said.

About Andrews Federal Credit Union

Founded in 1948, Andrews Federal has grown to serve more than 130,000

members in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and military

installations in central Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.