Beaufort Community Services

CPM Federal Credit Union

CPM was formed in 1955 by employees of the Charleston Paper Mill. We started in an old construction shed and our mission back then was to make affordable loans and deliver exceptional service to the employees of the Mill and improve their financial well-being.

Since that time CPM has grown to $375 million in assets, has earned national recognition for financial strength, and now delivers better retail banking to more than 58,000 people throughout the communities served by their network of 12 South Carolina branches and their highly rated digital services. Proudly serving their neighbors throughout the State CPM still strives to deliver exceptional service and value everyday recognizing that Carolina People Matter. That means:

• lower rates on loans
• higher rates on deposits
• lower fees and lots for free
• more money to invest in technology
• greater financial strength and more stars from independent rating agencies

Come in and find out why over 58,000 of your neighbors have chosen CPM for better banking.

USCB Community Outreach Continuing Education

Through the Office of Community Outreach, USCB brings its educational resources to the Lowcountry. Community Outreach’s vision is to create an institute to serve as a center for lifelong learning for all people of the Lowcountry.

Featured Articles

The Great Sea Island Storm of 1893

On Sunday night, August 27, 1893, the eye of the huge, slow-moving Category 3 hurricane landed just south of Savannah, ripping through South Carolina’s coastal islands with a 10- to 12-foot storm surge on a high tide. Estimates of the death toll ranged up to 3,500. No one could count all of the bodies that […]

Jery’s Baskets: Weaving Together History and Art

As a five-year-old girl, Jery B. Taylor learned the art of sweetgrass basket weaving from her grandmother on the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston, SC. Today, Taylor owns Jery’s Baskets, an artist studio located in the heart of Savannah’s City Market that showcases her handwoven baskets, bowls, trays, fans and vases, as well […]

Blue Ribbon Beaufort

You might be thinking you’ve heard about Beaufort, SC a lot lately. Well, you’re right! Recently, our town has been recognized by numerous publications and websites for all of its appeal. Here’s just a few of the honors we received. Southern Living Magazine named Beaufort ‘6th Best Small Town in the South’ Bliss Award recipient for “Best Beach […]

Roseate Spoonbills: The Pink Bird Repopulates

By Kathleen McMenamin Vicars, Master Naturalist Roseate spoonbills are becoming a more common sight throughout our Lowcountry marshes. They can commonly be spotted around low tides in our marshes, beak down in the water, looking for food. They are a beautiful sight with their pink feathers and distinct bill. Roseate Spoonbills, Platalea ajaja, almost disappeared […]

Spanish Moss Trail: Enjoy the Great Outdoors This Summer!

Discover the Great Outdoors on a Majestic Rails-to-Trails Paved Pathway If you enjoy hiking, biking, walking, fishing, dog walking, riding a scooter, skateboarding or rollerblading, don’t miss the Spanish Moss Trail, which connects beautiful Beaufort to historic Port Royal and offers 10 miles of scenic beauty. Part of the East Coast Greenway, the Lowcountry’s only paved Rails-to-Trails destination, provides […]

Dolphin Watching

One of the favorite pastimes of Lowcountry residents and visitors as they walk the beach or cruise the local waterways, is watching dolphins as they play, fish or simply swim on by. Many people don’t realize, however, that they are actually whale watching. Most of us think of whales as large marine mammals, up to […]

Beaufort Named the Most Romantic Spot in South Carolina in 2018

Love is in the air in all year long in Beaufort. Residents of our town have know that for years. And now theactivetimes.com and MSN.com have named Beaufort “The Most Romantic Locale” in the state of South Carolina. Along with its Southern charm, Beaufort offers picturesque historic homes, elegant live oak trees, laden with Spanish moss, fine eateries, […]

A WILD Winter

Explore the great outdoors this season and enjoy exceptional hiking and biking opportunities at area nature preserves, state parks and greenways. Bluffton Buckwalter Place Greenway Trail This 1.35-mile scenic trail attracts residents and visitors alike. Enjoy the opportunity to explore nature at your own pace. A free interpretive walking guide is available for download by scanning […]

2017 Lowcountry Marine Environment Year in Review

Sea turtles, dolphin and fish…Oh my! SEA TURTLES Since January of 2017, there have been 30 sea turtle strandings in the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton area. Eight of these turtles were still alive and transported to the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Charleston by the “Amberlance.” If you have not been to the South Carolina Aquarium, or it […]

Striking Down Home Rule? Environmental Sustainability at Risk

If you have any connection to environmental issues in the Lowcountry, you have likely heard that Hilton Head and Beaufort County are considering ordinances that would ban single-use plastic bags. What you may not have heard about is a bill, pushed by the plastic industry, that would prevent local governments from passing ordinances that regulate […]

Celebrate the Lowcountry’s Historic Churches

Two historic churches representing two distinct segments of Lowcountry society. This journey through the past begins just outside of Pritchardville at St. Luke’s Methodist Church. Originally a parish of the Anglican Church, St. Luke’s was authorized by an act of the Colonial Assembly in 1767 and built in 1786 on land donated by prosperous planter […]

Beaufort named The South’s Best Small Town in 2017

Each year Southern Living releases a whole set of lists boasting “The South’s Best,” which include a little bit of everything, from bookstores to breakfast spots and BBQ joints, not to mention beaches, islands and cities. In their 2017 accolades, Beaufort, South Carolina landed the number one spot and was named “The South’s Best Small […]

Oysters a Lowcountry Delicacy!

Oysters have been a favorite staple for islanders for centuries. Early Native American harvested oysters, subsisting on the plentiful bivalve populations in Lowcountry waters. At low tide, oysters can be seen rising from tidal saltmarsh creeks throughout the area. In fact, Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort’s waters have traditionally been considered some of the richest […]