SAN FRANCISCO — Patelco Credit Union and Mission SF Federal Credit Union (formerly Mission Area Federal Credit Union) have joined forces to open a new shared branch in San Francisco.

The new office, which is located on the main cultural and commercial corridor of the Mission District, will house the $8 million Mission SF Federal CU, its nonprofit affiliate Mission SF Community Financial and its Youth Credit Union Program.

Mission SF Community Financial Center–with Patelco's support– operates a nationally recognized Youth Credit Union Program, a leadership and savings program for children and youth. The youth program, which has 500 members, $75,000 in assets and a staff of five young people, recently added two new programs: Youth Trainers for Economic Power, which employs eight youth trainers to teach other community youth about smart money management and financial services decision-making, and the Action Research Committee, which conducts focus groups and surveys to identify youth attitudes and habits related to saving and spending.