Interstate Credit Union will join with 56,000 credit unions around the world Thursday to celebrate International Credit Union Day.

Interstate will celebrate by giving away gifts and food to all of its members.

There are more than 200 million credit-union members around the world — more than 100 million in the U.S. alone — and Interstate Credit Union joins them in celebration of the not-for-profit cooperative spirit that all credit unions share.

This cooperative spirit has led to life-changing opportunities for people all over the world who’ve wanted to start a small business, own a home or continue their education but were denied access to other financial institutions. In many parts of the world, people’s first taste of democracy is through their credit union, where “one member, one vote” is the governing structure.

At its most basic level, a credit union is people pooling their money to provide each other with affordable loans — it is literally people helping people.

Interstate Credit Union celebrates International Credit Union Day because credit unions empower people — wherever they are in the world or life — to take control of their financial future.

The public is welcome to stop by Interstate Credit Union in Midway, next to the Harbor Bay Car Wash.