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.

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

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.