Freedom Federal Credit Union Partners with Harford County Public Schools to Honor Staff Reaching Milestones of Service

Staff members achieving 10, 20, 30, and 40 years of service celebrated at Annual Employee Service Recognition Dinner

Dr. Sean Abel marks 30 years with HCPS
Dr. Sean Abel (center), Principal of Patterson Mill Middle and High School, stands with Superintendent Bulson and Board of Education President, Aaron Poynton. Abel is one of 67 HCPS employees who received special recognition for 30 years of dedicated service. Courtesy HCPS

May 24, 2024 – Freedom Federal Credit Union recently partnered with Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) in support of the HCPS Annual Employee Service Recognition. This program recognized 617 employees who reached 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 years of service in the 2023-2024 school year.

The program included a celebratory dinner which took place on May 8, 2024, at Waters Edge Events Center. Employee commitment to HCPS was celebrated during the program, which included a performance by Vocal Edge, the Edgewood High School Acapella Group. Service awards were presented to the 154 honorees marking their 10, 20, 30, and 40 year anniversaries with the school system.

Freedom has been the sole sponsor of the HCPS Service Recognition Program for the last 12 years with an annual donation used to fund a recognition dinner and provide honorees with a special gift. This year, each recognized staff member received a gift card.

Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent for Harford County Public Schools, stated, “Freedom Federal Credit Union has been an invaluable partner to this program for the last dozen years. Year after year, Freedom demonstrates their commitment to making our staff feel valued and honored for their dedication to our students and the Harford County community. We are incredibly grateful for their continued partnership in celebrating our staff.”

Mike MacPherson
President and CEO of Freedom Federal Credit Union, Mike MacPherson addresses the attendees at the Employee Service Recognition Dinner for Harford County Public Schools. Courtesy HCPS

During the recognition program, Freedom’s President and CEO, Mike MacPherson, addressed the attendees, “Let’s not just recognize the number of years, but what those years represent. Let’s recognize the impact you have on our children and our community, with a lesson, a kind word, or a helping hand. Let’s recognize how you go beyond academics, lunches, bus rides, or creating an accepting environment. Let’s recognize your willingness to place the needs of others before yourselves for the greater good. Let’s recognize that while the world may change, your commitment has not.”

In addition to their annual contribution to the Employee Service Recognition Program, during this school year, Freedom also sponsored HCPS’ Teacher of the Year event, Bus Driver/Bus Attendant of the Year Luncheon, and the Maryland Superintendent of the Year Reception. Freedom also sponsored the Patriot Program at 19 elementary schools, continued their initiative to equip new elementary teachers with classroom libraries, provided financial education to students at all grade levels, sponsored several college scholarship opportunities, and afforded Harford County educators access to the Credit Union’s Golden Apple Program, including the Annual Golden Apple Educator Award.

 

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 or 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 www.freedomfcu.org.

About Harford County Public Schools

The mission of the Harford County Public Schools is to promote excellence in instructional leadership and teaching and to provide facilities and instructional materials that support teaching and learning for the 21st century. The Harford County Board of Education will support this mission by fostering a climate for deliberate change and monitoring progress through measurable indicators.

#NationalNursesWeek2024

LET’s CELEBRATE NATIONAL NURSES week!

WIN A $25 Amazon eGIFT CARD FOR A HARFORD OR BALTIMORE COUNTY NURSE – 3 CHANCES TO WIN!

Square image with photos of nurses at work. "Happy National Nurses Week"

Look for our #NationalNursesWeek Nomination Post on our social media pages starting May 10th, 2024 running until 12 pm Monday, May 13th, 2024.

If you are a nurse or would like to nominate a nurses who lives or works in Harford/Baltimore County…

1. POST the nurse’s name and agency/organization in the comments on our Facebook, Twitter , or Instagram post
(Feel free to include a picture or comment with your nomination, where applicable!)

2. FOLLOW our social media page

3. SHARE our social media post

We will announce our winners on the afternoon of Monday, May 13th!

Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to get started.

*Nurses may live and/or work in Harford or Baltimore County. Nurses are welcome to enter themselves. One nomination per person, but nurses can be entered multiple time by other individuals to increase their chances of winning.

Aiden Jablon Receives Freedom Federal Credit Union’s First Annual Freedom to Help Award

The North Harford High School senior designates Harford Family House to receive a $1,000 donation on his behalf

Aiden Jablon Accepts Freedom to Help Award in 2024
Freedom Federal Credit Union Representatives presented the First Annual Freedom to Help Award to North Harford High School senior, Aiden Jablon, along with a check for $1,000 to contribute to his favorite local nonprofit organization, Harford Family House. Left to Right: Sue LeBuhn, Robin Tomechko, Aiden Jalon, Mike MacPherson, and Lisa Snodgrass

February 15, 2024 –  Freedom Federal Credit Union is pleased to congratulate Aiden Jablon, a senior at North Harford High School, on winning the Credit Union’s First Annual Freedom to Help Award.  The award is intended to celebrate an unpaid volunteer, who has chosen to spend their free time in the service of a local charitable mission – someone who has gone above and beyond in making the cause theirs.

Jablon was nominated by Harford Family House, a local nonprofit who strives to combat homelessness through housing, resources, and support.  Jablon first started volunteering with Harford Family House in middle school and has come to be a valued leader. Sue LeBuhn, Harford Family House’s Volunteer Engagement Manager, spoke highly of Jablon, noting that despite a demanding sports and academic schedule, “Jablon’s support as a project leader and his recruitment of other volunteers exemplifies the impact a dedicated individual can have on the community.”

In addition to his volunteer work with Harford Family House, Jablon volunteers with Best Buddies and Sports for Life through his school, two programs that work with people of differing abilities. “I think my volunteer experiences have made me more well-rounded and introduced me to things that I wouldn’t be accustomed to regularly,” said Jablon. “I’m just doing my small part to further their work.”

Jablon’s dedication to volunteerism seems to have taken hold, as he looks to the future, he wants to continue to give back. “Wherever I go to college I definitely want to continue volunteering, whether that’s with homelessness or not, but and even when I come back home, I hope to continue volunteering with Harford Family House,” stated Jablon.

Jablon and his mother, Tricia Jablon, met with representatives from Freedom Federal Credit Union and the grateful staff at Harford Family House at the nonprofit’s Aberdeen location for the award presentation.  While appreciative of the award, Jablon was especially thrilled that as a result, Freedom donated $1,000 to Harford Family House.

Mike MacPherson, Freedom’s President and CEO, expressed his delight in meeting Jablon, “It’s truly been a pleasure to meet Aiden, and to recognize him for his service to our community.  At the very core of Freedom is our commitment to our ‘people helping people’ philosophy. Through service to our members and to our community, we carry out this mission, and today, we have the opportunity to highlight and thank a very special person who shares in that philosophy. Congratulations, Aiden.”

After five years of running the viral #FreedomtoHelpChallenge on their social media pages, Freedom launched the Freedom to Help Award to bring even more focus to the individual volunteers shaping the community for the better.  Twelve deserving finalists were highlighted during a weeklong public voting period on Freedom’s Facebook and Instagram pages, allowing their powerful stories to spread across the community and beyond.

The Freedom to Help Award accepts nominations in November exclusively from employees associated with local nonprofit organizations in Harford and Baltimore County.  To get more information about nominations in 2024, please reach out to enter@freedomfcu.org and follow Freedom Federal Credit Union’s Facebook page for the latest.

 

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 or 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 www.freedomfcu.org.