2023 Golden Apple Educator Awards

We are now accepting entries for this year’s Golden Apple Educator Award! Entrants must be a Freedom Member* and an employee at a Harford or Baltimore County school (public or private).

1. TWO First Place – $2,000 Awards
2. TWO Second Place – $1,000 Awards
3. TWO First Runner-Up – $500 Awards
4. TWO Second Runner-Up $500 Awards

To enter, submit an entry form and essay. The essay must describe how you would use the funds and why you should be the one to win! Scoring favors proposals demonstrating the greatest impact on local schools, classes, students, and/or the community at large.

Freedom Federal Credit Union is pleased to offer EIGHT Annual Educator Awards of $2,000, $1,000, $500 and $500, four each to Harford and Baltimore County Education Employees who may be a deserving teacher, school administrator or school support employee.

Scoring favors the idea with the greatest impact on local students, classes, schools, and/or the local community.

To enter, complete the entry form and submit an essay that explains why you deserve the award. Your essay may address any or all of the following questions:

What is your plan to benefit your students, your class or your school? How will this money help you implement your plan?
Will you take a continuing education class or classes to improve your own education and expertise? (Please be specific.) How will your education improve your students’ learning?
Will you purchase supplies for your school or classroom? How will the supplies help improve student learning? (Please provide as many quantitative details as possible.)
Will your plan, training, or purchases affect the Harford County Community? If yes, how so?

Please submit your Golden Apple – 2023 Educator Award Entry Form and essay to [email protected] by May 31, 2023.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of Freedom employees, volunteers and community partners.

Entry deadline is May 31, 2023 (NEW EXTENDED DEADLINE!)
Submit by email to [email protected]
We will announce the winner by June 20, 2023

LEARN ABOUT THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS OFFERED TO HARFORD AND BALTIMORE COUNTY EDUCATORS- EXPLORE THE REST OF THE GOLDEN APPLE PROGRAM!

*New members are also welcome to apply!

Freedom Federal Credit Union Announces New Philanthropic Foundation

The Freedom to Help Foundation was Established to Further Expand the Credit Union’s Efforts to Support Baltimore and Harford County Communities and Charitable Organizations

January 18, 2023 Bel Air, MD – Freedom Federal Credit Union announced today it has established The Freedom to Help Foundation to further its commitment to community support and to give back to the people, the organizations, and the communities it serves within Baltimore and Harford Counties.

Going forward, all community outreach and financial support will now flow through the Foundation. The Freedom to Help Foundation will collaborate with organizations and community partners who align with Freedom’s mission and community focus areas. Additionally, all existing financial support, like sponsorships, grants, donations, scholarship programs, to name a few, will be funded and managed as programs of The Freedom to Help Foundation.

“As Freedom has continued to grow, so too has our commitment to the people and organizations that do so much good in our shared communities”, said Mike MacPherson, President and CEO of Freedom Federal Credit Union. Establishing The Freedom to Help Foundation takes our commitment to do good in the community to another level. And it also allows others to share in the good we do. The Foundation creates an opportunity for our business and community partners, members, and employees to take part and join us in our philanthropic initiatives. Together, we can accomplish more, and do more, for those in need”.

The Freedom to Help Foundation has been incorporated as a 501 (c)3 non-profit, separate from the Credit Union, whose mission is to enrich the communities we serve, empower individual success through education, provide resources for health and wellness, and to support our military and their families.

The Foundation is governed by a separate volunteer Board of Directors, functioning independent from the Credit Union. This Board will oversee the review and approval of all financial support considerations on how funds are distributed for community support based on the needs of Baltimore and Harford County communities and their philanthropic organizations.

Additionally, the Credit Union’s Community Outreach Committee, which oversees all volunteer efforts, will now be a part of the Foundation.

“In the last five years, Freedom Federal Credit Union has supported over 80+ organizations annually with over $1.0M of financial support during that time”, said MacPherson. “The Freedom to Help Foundation will allow us to grow that support in ways we could not even dream before”.

The Freedom to Help Foundation will officially launch this month, and there will be more information to share very soon regarding some great initiatives that are planned for 2023.

About The Freedom to Help Foundation

The Freedom to Help Foundation supports Freedom Federal Credit Union’s commitment to the people and communities of Baltimore and Harford Counties. Established in January 2023, the Foundation’s mission is to enrich the communities we serve, empower individual success through education, provide resources for health and wellness, and to support our military and their families. Learn more at freedomfcu.org/foundation.

About Freedom Federal Credit Union

Freedom Federal Credit Union is a community-chartered federal credit union offering consumer financial services to those who live, work, volunteer, worship, attend school, or have family in Harford and Baltimore County. Additionally, Freedom offers a full-line of banking services for all businesses, associations, and other organizations that are based in Harford or Baltimore County. Freedom has been in business since 1953 and has six locations throughout Harford and Baltimore County. To learn more, visit freedomfcu.org.

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center Opens New Gym for Associate Wellness

Thanks to long-standing philanthropic partner, Freedom Federal Credit Union for $30,000 pledge

MedStar Health Check Presentation — Freedom Federal Credit Union representatives (L to R) Carmen David Mirabile, Freedom Senior Vice President of Marketing, Patrice Ricciardi, Senior Director Business Development, and Michael MacPherson, President and Chief Executive Officer present a check to MedStar Health’s Stuart Levine, MD, FACP, President and Senior Vice President, and Leah Murray, MHA, Director of Philanthropy Education.

BALTIMORE – (December 29, 2022) A $30,000 pledge by Freedom Federal Credit Union has made possible the opening of “Square Fitness,” an associate gym at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, to support the emotional and physical well-being of hospital employees.

Michael MacPherson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom, along with Carmen David Mirabile, Freedom Senior Vice President of Marketing and Patrice Ricciardi, Senior Director Business Development, presented a giant check representing the commitment on Sept. 7th to hospital President and Senior Vice President of MedStar Health, Stuart Levine, MD, FACP.

“This means so much to me and my family,” said Dr. Levine, whose family also contributed to the costs of the gym. “But more importantly, it means so much to our associates, and to our learners, our residents, and our medical students. This is something that our internal community has asked for, for years. It far predates when I came here as president. I couldn’t be more pleased to celebrate the opening of this facility for our care providers.”

The gym, open to all MedStar associates, is located on the second floor of the hospital. It features two treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, strength-training fusion trainers, weight benches, along with one rower, a set of free weights, and a water bottle filling station. All equipment is from NordicTrack’s commercial line and will be linked to iFIT® technology, allowing access to fitness classes, structured workouts, and instruction.

“This type of endeavor, this gym, it’s more than just the physical equipment, it’s about the emotional health, the mental impact on members of our community. This was an opportunity to do something meaningful for MedStar associates, and that’s what this partnership is all about,” MacPherson said.

Freedom Federal Credit Union provides financial products and services in Harford and Baltimore County and is a long-time philanthropic partner to MedStar Health. The not-for-profit previously supported patient-centered initiatives at the MedStar Health Bel Air Medical Campus.

About MedStar Health

At MedStar Health, we use the best of our minds and the best of our hearts to serve our patients, those who care for them, and our communities. Our 30,000 associates and 4,700 affiliated physicians are committed to living this promise through our core SPIRIT values—Service, Patient first, Integrity, Respect, Innovation, and Teamwork—across our more than 300 locations including 10 hospitals, ambulatory, and urgent care centers. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar Health is training future physician leaders to care for the whole person and is advancing care through the MedStar Health Research Institute. From our telemedicine and urgent care services to the region’s largest home health agency, we’re committed to providing high-quality health care that’s also easy and convenient for our patients. At MedStar Health—It’s how we treat people. Learn more at MedStarHealth.org.

About Freedom Federal Credit Union