A branch of the $4.8 billion Citizens Equity First Credit Union in Washington, Ill., becamea command center for the Washington Fire Department shortly after atornado Sunday devastated the central Illinois city of about 15,000people, killing at least one resident and destroying up to 500homes.

(Left, CEFCU's Washington Member Center on a quieterday.)

Washington is about 10 miles from Peoria, where CEFCU isheadquartered, and many of its residents are CEFCU members, thecredit union said.

“CEFCU Member Centers were not damaged by the recent severestorms in Illinois,” read a post on the cooperative's Facebook siteon Sunday. “However, the CEFCU Member Center in Washington is beingused as a staging location by the Washington Fire Department.Please keep this community in your thoughts, as they are dealingwith significant damage.”

The tornado hit Washington at about 11 a.m. on Sunday. Safetyofficials continue to assist residents, cleaning up debris andworking to repair broken water mains, downed power lines and gasleaks, according to local media reports.

“Our member center has a large parking lot and is outside of themajor damage area in Washington, so I think it was a veryconvenient, high-profile area for everyone to meet there,” said SuePortscheller, vice president of marketing for CEFCU. “But that onlylasted for a short time (a few hours). The group (has since)relocated to the Washington Fire Department.”

Portscheller said about five CEFCU employees have lost theirhomes. The credit union fears members also have lost homes.

“I would say about 75% of the homeowners in the Washington areaare CEFCU members, so we have a strong connection as well as anumber of employees who live in the Washington area,” saidPortscheller. “So this is very close to the hearts of the peoplethere.”

Washington Mayor Gary Manier estimated that from 250 to 500homes were either damaged or destroyed, The Associated Pressreported early Monday.

CEFCUis the largest credit union in central Illinois and serves nearly300,000 members. It is the only credit union with a branch inWashington, according to Portscheller.

None of CEFCU's 20 branches or ATMs throughout Central Illinoishas sustained any damage. However, the branches in Washington,Chillicothe and Eureka remain closed and 13 ATMs were not operatingbecause of the power outage.

The credit union is working with a vendor to set up a generatorto restore power to the Washington branch to provide for the cashneeds of members and employees. Meanwhile, members are beingdirected to other branches and ATMs.

CEFCU senior management held an early morning meeting Monday toassess the needs of employees and members. The credit union hasinitiated a special response team to assess the financial issues ofmembers and take care of their immediate needs for payment cards,checks and longer term needs such as loan payments.

“We will be taking donations at all of our member centers incentral Illinois for the American Red Cross,” Portscheller said.“We at CEFCU will be giving a $100,000 donation to the same. Theyare saying what they (storm victims) need is cash right now. A lotof people are going to have to live elsewhere for three to sixmonths while they are able to rebuild.”

Tornadoes also ripped through parts of Indiana and Kentucky.

The $786 million Purdue Federal Credit Union in West Lafayette, Ind., reportedon its Facebook page on Monday that its branch in West Lafayettewas temporarily closed Monday.