It's like a Savings and Loan Association except that credit unions are created by some entity, some club or group, and they're not open to the whole public.

这有点像储贷协会,不同点在于,信用合作社是由某个独立群体所创建的,比如社团或集体组织,它不面向整个社会公众

耶鲁公开课 - 金融市场课程节选