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August 29, 2005. Hurricane Katrina forever altered the lives of our members, our employees, and our communities.
From the River Parishes to the heart of New Orleans, the destruction was overwhelming, yet so was our resolve to serve.
At the time, we were two institutions, ASI Federal Credit Union and Louisiana Federal Credit Union. Today, we share this story as one: a past of resilience and service that has become the proud history of OnPath Credit Union.
Together, our credit unions were financially sound, deeply rooted in our neighborhoods, and powered by dedicated teams. What united us then, and unites us still, was a purpose to stand by our members through life’s trials. Katrina tested that like nothing before.
Preparing for Hurricane Katrina
In the days before landfall, leadership gathered for a strategic planning session in Natchez, Mississippi. Early forecasts called for a Category 2 storm, but by August 26, the alerts were urgent as Katrina shifted and strengthened. The meeting ended abruptly so people could return to their families or find safe shelter.
Branches in multiple parishes prepared for impact. ATM cash limits were raised so members evacuating could withdraw what they needed. Backup data was secured and transported to an out-of-state recovery site.
Responding in the first 48 hours
When the storm hit on August 29, daily life stopped, but our commitment to members did not.
Within 48 hours, leadership regrouped at a temporary command center in Baton Rouge. Our database was restored, a branch in Ville Platte reopened, and payrolls posted.
In LaPlace, a newly installed generator at the Belle Terre branch, tested just a week earlier, came alive, allowing staff to serve members despite widespread outages. Employees, many of whom were dealing with their own damaged homes, began showing up without being asked, ready to help.
Serving members with limited communication
Communication was spotty. Cell towers were down, landlines sporadic, internet connections almost nonexistent. In response, our teams created a make-shift contact center in Baton Rouge, determined to provide members with a voice on the other end of the line when everything else felt silent. Elsewhere, staff manually processed ACH files using dial-up internet and floppy disks to ensure deposits went through.
In other areas, a network outage caused ATMs to run on offline limits, allowing $300 withdrawals per day regardless of balance. The unintended overdrafts reached millions, but we worked around the clock to restore live transactions and keep members connected to their money.
Branches began reopening in Thibodaux, Mandeville, and Hammond, some powered by generators, others working completely manually. In response to the emergency, we were fast-tracked into the shared branching network, allowing members to conduct transactions at other credit unions across the country during those critical weeks.
Opening our doors to the community after the storm
In the River Parishes, we became the first financial institution to open after Katrina. Even without guaranteed security, we cashed Social Security checks for non-members stranded in the area because we knew the community needed help.
We were the first financial institution to open up in the river parishes, against the advice of law enforcement. We did it because we knew the community needed us. We also helped many other credit union members. They were trying to get to their credit union in the city but most of them were closed, some indefinitely. We opened our arms and welcomed them all. We did everything we could to help them and get them the assistance needed.
- Rhonda Hotard, President & CEO of Louisiana FCU in 2005
We didn’t just serve our own members. We helped anyone in need, including those from other credit unions. We offered loan deferments, emergency cash, and most importantly, a place where people could feel seen, heard, and helped.
We were offering loan extensions with no interest to our members and providing relief to the community during a time of uncertainty. Even as our employees were displaced, they were guaranteed their jobs if they chose to return, because we knew that security mattered just as much to them as it did to the members we serve. Through it all, we never lost sight of what makes this credit union strong: our people.
- Mignhon Tourne', Board Chair of ASI FCU in 2005
Recovering from Hurricane Katrina's impact
The toll was staggering: four branches destroyed, 50 employees unable to return, millions in overdrafts and loan charge-offs.
Then came the paradox. As FEMA and insurance checks arrived, our assets surged by more than $100 million. While this meant recovery for members, it also reclassified us as “undercapitalized” in the eyes of regulators, triggering more oversight. We sold a branch, cut costs, and leaned on the national credit union community for support.
Through it all, our teams showed up, often while rebuilding their own homes, determined to serve.
Twenty years later
We didn’t just survive Katrina. We learned from it.
We learned the value of quick decisions, creative solutions, and visible leadership. We learned that showing up, even when the future is uncertain, can mean everything to someone in need.
Most of all, we learned that our members are our why. In 2005, that meant cashing a check for someone we’d never met. In 2025, it means continuing to stand by you through hurricanes, hard times, and everything in between.
Katrina tested our strength as an institution and as a community. Today, OnPath remains committed to resilience, recovery, and progress. With technology that ensures our members are always connected to their money, we stand ready to serve, through every hardship, and for every generation to come.
- Jared Freeman, President & CEO of OnPath Credit Union
Twenty years later, our promise is the same: we’ll weather the storm with you. Always.
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