Author: Ashira Quabili

Filling Empty Stockings

Staff Play Santa at Empty Stocking Event

Empty Stocking Fund Volunteers
Dominique Beverly, left, and Rachel Jackson

Freedom staff spent a recent evening filling empty stockings. The charity behind the event, The Empty Stocking Fund, collects toys and gifts for needy kids. It has become a Freedom tradition to support The Empty Stocking Fund each year by collecting goods and filling stockings. Collection bins are at all branches and donations are being accepted through the end of the year.

The work takes place in a warehouse full of collected donations. Volunteers pull together hand-picked selections for each child on the list. Matches are made based on age, gender, reading level, clothes size, and hobbies. Each child receives a variety of items, such as toys, clothes, books, arts and crafts, games and toiletries.

Empty Stocking Fund Volunteers
From L to R, back: Andrea Woodard, Rachel Jackson, Dominique Beverly, Jennifer Terry, Robert Wehland, Susan Tannahill, Undisclosed (with bear). Front: Toni Kanely, Ken Terry

This year The Empty Socking Fund has helped 282 families, including 656 children.

Staff Have Active Fall at Harford Events

Harford’s Active Fall Brings Volunteers!

Freedom staff have had an active fall, participating in three volunteer events since the end of October. Harford’s active community life means there’s always something to take part in, and Freedom staff are there.

Staffers decorated the Freedom van for Mountain Christian’s Trunk or Treat event on Saturday October 28. Employees had a blast handing out candy to the many families coming through for the fun annual event.

Habitat for humanity building project in Havre de Grace, November 9, 2017
(L to R) Jordon Hoffer, Julie Irby, Stacie Sloan, and Briana Smith

November 9 Freedom employees were in Havre de Grace for a Habitat for Humanity build. Members of the branch management and front line staff exercised their carpentry skills on a building project.

United Way Food Giveaway, November 18, 2017
(L to R) Sheri Gasu, Michele Young, Susan Tannahill, Sam Tannahill

 

 

 

 

The weekend of November 18 employees representing accounting, marketing and senior staff donated time for the United Way food giveaway at Bel Air United Methodist Church. Along with recruited family members, Freedom staff bagged vegetables by the five-pound sack, divvied up bread, and handed out boxes of canned goods to local folks gearing up for Thanksgiving. Almost 500 people came through the doors of Bel Air’s United Methodist Church, collecting goods for their holiday meal.