As a new year begins, we remain committed to serving the needs of our members by offering competitive products and services that add value to your everyday banking. More than ever, we are focused on our goal of becoming Southern California's premier banking partner by continuously working together to build better lives for our members and the communities we serve.
In 2021, our strong financial performance put us in a favorable position to grow our membership. We reached our 200,000-member milestone and our members turned to us for their everyday banking with nearly $4.4 billion in total deposits as of November 2021 month-end. We thank you for putting your trust in us every day and referring your family members and friends to Wescom, which is the reason two-thirds of our new members chose Wescom. We also helped more members become homeowners or refinance their existing home by offering competitively priced rates. We are really raising the bar and aiming even higher when it comes to serving our members' needs in 2022. As of November 30, 2021, we funded more than $523 million in mortgage loans to members. Wescom was also voted “Best Credit Union” by readers of eight local newspapers — another indication of the trust members place in us to service their banking needs.
Continuing the momentum of growth for the Credit Union, Wescom was named the Official Banking Partner of the UCLA Alumni Association in 2021. The new designation includes the introduction of the Wescom Bruin Edge and Bruin Choice Visa® Credit Cards featuring a customized UCLA rewards program for alumni, current students, and staff. As of November 30, 2021, 62 percent of our UCLA members are Bruin Credit Card holders. Additionally, we expanded our partnership through our support of the Wescom Foundation UCLA Alumni Diversity Network Scholarship Program and UCLA Alumni Career Program. We're proud of the robust base we've built with UCLA and look forward to helping more Bruins build better financial futures.
We are really raising the bar and aiming even higher when it comes to serving our members' needs in 2022. All members qualify for a free Wescom Checking Account.* This means no monthly checking account fee and we are also eliminating the minimum savings balance fee and overdraft transfer fee. We've simplified banking so you can focus on managing, borrowing, saving, and investing your money with Wescom — not on the fees. We are confident that these changes will help grow the Credit Union to further our goal of becoming Southern California's premier banking partner.
As one of the largest credit unions in the country with more than $5 billion in assets, we have never lost sight of the fact that serving our members' needs is the sole reason we exist. Every decision we make as an organization is to better serve you.
*$5 paper statement fee waived with eStatements and is assessed to a Regular Savings Account for printing and mailing a paper statement.
