Five Star Credit Union announced it has been granted a Community Charter in Georgia to serve the estimated 28,000 citizens of Decatur County.

Five Star Credit Union already operates a branch at 111 N. Main St. in Attapulgus, Ga., to serve members who were previously eligible to join through employers or family members who were members in the credit union. Other Georgia locations of Five Star Credit Union include Donalsonville, Cairo and Cedar Springs.

All residents of Decatur County are now eligible to join at any Five Star Credit Union location and apply for a free checking with dividends account.

Unlike a bank, a credit union abides by the field of membership guidelines defined by the charter under which they operate. Five Star Credit Union already maintains a community charter in Alabama, serving nine counties.

This new charter expansion is Five Star’s first community charter in Georgia. Five Star Credit Union will also continue to enroll additional employer groups in Decatur County and other counties they serve in Georgia, extending the benefit of credit union membership to employees and their families.

Established in 1964, Five Star Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit, full-service financial institution headquartered in Dothan, Ala. Five Star has seven locations that provide credit union access in Alabama and Georgia and serve a growing membership of approximately 16,000 members.

Membership is open to those who live, work, worship or attend school in nine contiguous counties of Alabama, those who live in Decatur County, Georgia and the employees of select employers in Georgia and their family members.