2020 Annual Meeting

Join Us Virtually…

Due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions, Freedom’s Annual Meeting, originally scheduled to take place in April 2020, will now be a fully virtual meeting.

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Time: 4:00pm

To Register for the Virtual Annual Meeting, Please RSVP Online.

Agenda:
2019 Business Summary / Chairman and CEO Remarks
2020 Business Update
Board Elections
Committee Reports
Approval of Minutes
New Business / Q&A

Register Here

Current Freedom Federal Credit Union membership is required to attend in this meeting.
Login instructions will be sent via email to all registrants closer to the meeting date.

Thank you for your membership in Freedom Federal Credit Union. We wish everyone continued health and safety.

Freedom Federal Credit Union Donates Face Masks and Thermometers to Harford County Public Schools

August 11, 2020

^{Harford County Public School (HCPS) and Freedom Federal Credit Union leadership and staff representatives gather on the steps of HCPS Headquarters to showcase the new masks that will be distributed to HCPS employees across the school system.}
^{Seated (Left to Right): HCPS Transportation Coordinator Tina Hockaday, representing HCPS support staff, and Halls Cross Roads Elementary School Teacher Laura S. Pohlenz, representing HCPS teachers.}
^{Standing Left from Freedom Federal Credit Union (Front to Back): President and CEO Michael MacPherson, Business Development Director Lisa Snodgrass, and Senior Vice President of Marketing Carmen Mirabile.}
^{Standing Right from Harford County Public Schools (Front to Back): Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Jean Mantegna, and Chief of Administration Eric Davis.}

Freedom Federal Credit Union, in partnership with Harford County Public Schools (HCPS), is providing all teachers and support staff with protective, reusable face masks for the upcoming school year. Six thousand masks will be distributed to all teachers, office workers, food service staff, facilities staff, transportation staff, teacher substitutes, and new hires.

Additionally, 30 infrared no-contact thermometers have been donated by Freedom for use in all HCPS school buildings and offices to supplement similar thermometers already available in each school’s health suite. The $26,000 contribution to purchase the masks and thermometers is intended to show appreciation for every HCPS employee’s contribution and dedication, and to provide critical protective equipment to help support HCPS protocols to keep all HCPS employees safe and healthy during the upcoming year.

Freedom Federal Credit Union was originally slated to sponsor the HCPS Annual Employee Service Recognition Program and Awards Dinner, which they have sponsored since 2013. The program recognized hundreds of employees annually who had reached 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 years of service milestones. Due to the statewide closure of schools, and social function restrictions, the 2020 recognition program was cancelled. Freedom, working closely with school administrators, believed that the face masks would be a great way to show appreciation for all HCPS staff- both in and out of the classroom.

Prior to the decision on whether or not the upcoming school year would resume in person or virtually, both Freedom and HCPS administration recognized that many hundreds of staff members will continue to be required to report in person either regularly or periodically, and that all staff, including those working remotely, would continue to need face coverings for use in any public setting.

“In the best of times, we have always made it a priority to show our teachers that we care about their well-being and appreciate their dedication to the children in our community,” stated President and CEO of Freedom Federal Credit Union, Mike MacPherson. “In what now feels like the worst of times, we know that the pressures our educators, and all those who support our education system, face, will be great, and we hope this sponsorship will show our appreciation for all they do while supporting their health and safety.”

Invited to represent HCPS teachers in a photograph showcasing the new masks, Laura S. Pohlenz, a vocal music teacher at Halls Cross Roads Elementary School, recently completed her 30th year teaching for HCPS. Ms. Pohlenz expressed, “I am happy to represent teachers in this partnership with Freedom Federal Credit Union, and would like to personally thank them for this generous gift of face masks to the school system, in an effort to ensure the safety for our students and staff during this time.”

Representing HCPS support staff in this partnership, Transportation Coordinator, Tina Hockaday, who has been with HCPS for 14 years, remarked, “We are extremely grateful for our partnership with Freedom Federal Credit Union. Thank you for thinking of the safety of our students and staff.”
In the July 29, 2020 Superintendent’s Bulletin, Dr. Sean Bulson, acknowledged the contribution. “This year, FFCU has chosen to recognize all employees of HCPS by donating a protective face mask for every employee. By means of this generous contribution, they would like to honor and show their appreciation for the work done by every HCPS employee as we continue to educate the students of HCPS, while maintaining a safe and protected environment for staff and students. We hope that you will join us in expressing our appreciation to Freedom Federal Credit Union for this generous contribution!”

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 Counties. Additionally, Freedom offers a full-line of banking services for all businesses, associations, and other organizations that are based in Harford and Baltimore Counties. To learn more, visit freedomfcu.org.

About Harford County Public Schools

The mission of Harford County Public Schools is that each student will attain academic and personal success in a safe and caring environment that honors the diversity of our students and staff. The vision of the Board of Education of Harford County is to inspire and prepare each student to achieve success in college and career.

Freedom Federal Credit Union Expands Field of Membership
to Include Baltimore County

July 2, 2020

The Credit Union Was Approved by the National Credit Union Administration to Serve Residents and Businesses of Baltimore County

Freedom Federal Credit Union announced that they received approval from the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) for their request to expand their field of membership. Effective immediately, Freedom membership is now open to businesses and any individuals who live, work, worship, volunteer, attend school, or has family in Baltimore County. Prior to NCUA approval, Freedom’s field of membership was focused solely on Harford County.

“This is a very exciting time for Freedom Federal Credit Union, our members, and residents of both Baltimore and Harford Counties, as a whole”, stated Mike MacPherson, President and CEO of Freedom. “With NCUA’s approval, we can now provide what we call the “Freedom Advantage”, our unique credit union service offering, to the greater Baltimore County communities. We will be able to better serve a larger group of Maryland consumers and businesses who have currently been underserved, and address their immediate and long-term savings and lending needs as only a credit union, like Freedom, can do”.

Freedom Federal Credit Union was founded in 1953 as MATCOM Federal Credit Union. The Credit Union started in Baltimore and later moved to Harford County in support of the Edgewood Arsenal, (which became part of Aberdeen Proving Ground). Freedom received their Harford County community charter in 1999 and changed their name to Freedom of Maryland Federal Credit Union in 2000.

The expansion into Baltimore County was a logical step in the Credit Union’s evolution. Freedom already serves over 3,000 members that are Baltimore County residents and were able to join because of some affiliation with Harford County.

MacPherson continued: “We feel Freedom is an organization best qualified to meet the financial service needs of the expanded community. We’re financially strong, with full service, easily accessible locations, user-friendly tools for remote accessibility, and a wide range of products, services, and technology. Additionally, Freedom has always focused on our social responsibility, generously supporting the communities we serve. We now have even more opportunity to do good in the community, for even more organizations, businesses, and people across both Baltimore and Harford Counties”.

“Strategic growth is vital to our long term strength and viability”, stated Mike Kaiser, Chairman of the Board for Freedom. The entire Board of Directors saw the wisdom and value in our expansion, not only for the organization, members and communities we currently serve, but also for our future members, and unanimously adopted the expanded field of membership”.

Kaiser continued: “Expanding our field of membership to Baltimore County will also allow us to provide cutting edge products and services to many more members. As a full-service financial institution, Freedom has long catered, and is uniquely structured, to serve a wide variety of consumers, including those of low and modest means. We believe that Freedom is positioned to provide the value of a local, community-focused, ‘people helping people’-centric financial institution, while we continue to adhere to the principles, mission, and values that we have developed over our more than 67 year history”.

As part of the expansion, Freedom will look at all options with respect to new, physical locations, in both Harford and Baltimore Counties, as well as how best to leverage technology for those who like and want to conduct business electronically and remotely, whenever and wherever it is convenient for them.

About Freedom Federal Credit Union

Freedom Expands Field of Membership- CEO Letter

July 2, 2020

Dear Freedom Members,

I wanted to share some very exciting news with you, as soon as I could.

Late last year, Freedom began the process of requesting, with the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), the governing agency that regulates credit unions, for the ability to expand our field of membership, in order to serve more residents within the state. I am extremely excited to announce to you that the NCUA has approved our request. Effective immediately, in addition to Harford County, Freedom membership is now open to businesses and any individuals who live, work, worship, volunteer, attend school, or have family in Baltimore County.

Your Board of Directors have also unanimously approved this field of membership expansion. With NCUA’s approval, as well as Board approval, we can now provide what we call the “Freedom Advantage”, our unique credit union service offering, to the greater Baltimore County communities. We will be able to better serve a larger group of Maryland consumers and businesses, many of whom we have heard from directly, that have been underserved, and address their immediate and long-term savings and lending needs as only a credit union, like Freedom, can do.

We are excited to roll out our plans for welcoming Baltimore County residents to Freedom and communicating our value proposition. We are working hard to provide the best financial institution and structure we can to serve not only our new communities within Baltimore County, but all of Harford County as well.

Freedom is an organization best qualified to meet the financial service needs of both Harford and Baltimore Counties. We’re financially strong, with full-service, easily accessible locations and a wide range of financial products, services, and accessible, intuitive technology.

We have also put great focus on our social responsibility, supporting those same communities we serve. In fact, we have made it our mission to be a trusted financial partner that does more than just banking, by creating a community support culture of people helping people that meets the needs of our members and the communities we serve. We now have even more opportunity to do good in the community, for even more organizations, businesses, and people across both Baltimore and Harford Counties.

I know this is a big change for us, and you may have some questions as a result of this announcement. I want to take this opportunity to try and answer some of these for you now.

Why did Freedom want to expand its Field of Membership?

Making Freedom membership available to all those who live, work, worship, volunteer, or attend school in Baltimore County was a logical step in our Credit Union’s evolution. Nearly 3,000 current Freedom members are already Baltimore County residents and were able to join because of some affiliation with Harford County. We have heard directly from so many Baltimore County residents over the years that they wish they could join Freedom. With just a few credit unions and numerous big banks in Baltimore County, credit unions are few and far between, even though they represent a better financial choice for most consumers. And we know Freedom will provide Baltimore County the exact type of financial institution that so many have said they want.

How is this a good thing for current Freedom members?

Because of the way a credit union is structured, as a financial cooperative, the health and strength of the organization is strongly dependent on the membership being engaged and utilizing its products and services. The more members that are an active part of the credit union and using its products and services, the better the ability to offer lower cost loan options, higher deposit rates, better technology and access, and more community support. Our expansion into Baltimore County will allow Freedom to provide our unique financial offerings to more consumers that need them and provide a much needed financial alternative to the big banks. In doing so, we will be able to increase our membership, and the ability to serve all our members, and our shared communities better.

With 32,000 members and growing, Freedom has been a strong financial partner to our members for over 67 years, and we look forward to being an even better partner with this expansion.

Does this mean we are taking away resources to support Harford County?

Absolutely not! Our expansion into Baltimore County does not take anything away from our focus, commitment, and support to the Harford County community. On the contrary, our expansion will afford us greater resources to expand our support of Harford County residents, businesses, and organizations. We are, and have always been, a part of this great community, and will continue to serve it as we always have.

Will you be opening new branches in Baltimore County?

We will look at all our options with respect to new and future physical locations, in both Harford and Baltimore Counties, to best serve our expanded membership. We will also review how we already serve members, regardless of location, by leveraging technology for those who like and want to conduct business electronically and remotely, on their own schedule. One of the biggest lessons we have learned during these past few months is that members are quite adept, and look for, newer technology to serve their banking needs. We will, therefore, consider all options to offer the best balance between physical locations and technology that best serves our membership.

We will continue to share information and details about this exciting news for Freedom Federal Credit Union and its membership, and where we go from here. In the meantime, if you have family, friends, and/or coworkers who live, work, study, volunteer, have family, or worship in Baltimore County, please help us spread the news of who we are, and share with them the Freedom Advantage!

I want to thank all of you for your ongoing trust and confidence in Freedom. It is because of you that we are here, and will continue to be here, for many years to come. Our future is bright, and together, there’s no telling what we can accomplish.

Sincerely,

Michael MacPherson
President and CEO
Freedom Federal Credit Union

Funds Availability Changes – July 1, 2020

Effective July 1, 2020: The amount Freedom makes available for withdrawal by checks, that are not subject to the next day availability, is increasing from $200 to $225.

In addition, the amount available for withdrawal on the second business day, after the day of your deposit for large deposits or exception hold amounts, will increase from $5,000 to $5,525.

A Message from President and CEO, Mike MacPherson Regarding Lobby Reopenings

June 9, 2020

Dear Members,

It was more than two and a half months ago that I shared with you the details of Freedom’s plans and efforts to keep our employees and members safe during the initial COVID-19 outbreak. During that time, we announced closures of our lobbies, focused branch access to drive-thrus only, and ensured the optimal performance of all digital and virtual platforms.

I want to thank you once again for your patience, understanding and flexibility through these challenging times. We are now actively finalizing steps necessary to begin gradually reopening Freedom branch lobbies, safely and effectively.

Beginning June 22nd, our Swan Creek branch in Havre de Grace, and our Park Avenue branch in Bel Air, will be available by appointment only. Our Fountain Green and Forest Lakes branches will open similarly on June 29^th, or shortly thereafter.

In addition, since now permissible, we are reopening drive thru service at our Edgewood location on June 15th, Monday through Friday from 9am-3pm.

As we implement new precautions to protect you and our staff, any changes required to this timeline will be communicated accordingly. Branch hours, and other details will be posted to the Branch Locations page of our website.

As we begin to expand our in-branch services again, we have considered every aspect of the member experience, with your safety, and our employees’ safety, as our top priority. Some of the changes you will see include:

All lobby access and hours of operation will be by appointment-only. A new appointment scheduler is being created for your use and will be accessible via our Homepage. We will notify you as soon as the appointment scheduler is ready and we begin taking appointments.
- No walk-in traffic will be available during this initial opening phase. All walk-in traffic will be directed to use the drive-thrus.
- Drive-thru service will still operate without appointments
In accordance with Harford County Government guidelines, masks or face coverings will be required at all times while inside the branches.
- You may be asked to quickly pull down your mask to verify your identity
Freedom staff will also be wearing masks or face coverings during your visit
Hand sanitizing stations will be available in the lobbies. You may be asked to use the station prior to your in-branch appointment
Plexiglass guards have been set-up at our teller stations and Financial Services desks
Physical distancing protocols will be in place
Increased cleaning and sanitization in high-traffic areas will be in place throughout each day

I would like to personally thank you, not only for your patience and understanding, but also for all of the positive comments and outreach you have made to me during this unprecedented time. I am truly heartened by the loyalty and commitment you have shown Freedom.

Sincerely,

Michael MacPherson
President and CEO
Freedom Federal Credit Union

#FreedomSpiritWeeks

A NEW Summer Contest Series

Presented by Freedom Federal Credit Union

Enter June 12 – August 6, 2020

WIN UP TO $250 DOLLARS!

Freedom is proud to present a new summer contest series called #FreedomSpiritWeeks. Every Friday during the contest period Freedom will challenge the public to submit entries according to the week’s theme on social media. Entrants will be placed into a weekly drawing to win a $50 eGift Card. Weekly winners along with other selected finalists will then have an opportunity to compete for a $250 prize in a final showdown at the end of the contest.

Your entry could win you a $50 eGift Card, or the Grand Prize— $250 DOLLARS!

WEEKLY THEMES

June 12 – June 18 : GRADS WEEK

Show us your 2020 Pride! Enter a photo of a 2020 Graduate!

June 19 – June 25 : TAG LOCAL WEEK

No Photos Required for this one, but they are highly encouraged. Tag a local Harford or Baltimore County restaurant or business and tell us why they’re great!

June 26 – July 2 : CHALK IT UP WEEK

It’s a masterpiece showcase! Show us your sidewalk chalk creations!

July 3 – July 9 : WHAT’S FOR DINNER WEEK

Share a picture of a delectable dish you’ve made, and if you’re feeling extra generous, share the recipe too!

July 10 – July 16 : PROJECT PRIDE WEEK

Time to brag about your summer home improvement projects! Let’s see what you’ve been working on! Brownie points for Before and After photos!*

*Brownie points are NOT actually real points, but they sound delicious.

July 17 – July 23 : BACK TO NATURE WEEK

There’s nothing like enjoying the wonderful outdoors in the summertime, especially while indoor attractions remain widely unavailable. Share the glory, the fun, the hikes, and the gardens.

July 24 – July 30 : MY PURFECT PET WEEK

We know you have a bunch of pawsitively purfect pet photos you are just itching to share. And we are so ready to bask in the cuteness of your fur babies.

July 31 – August 6 : SPIRIT WEEK

Get creative! Submit a fun photo of you and your crew! Be goofy, silly, or beautiful! It’s up to you!

HOW TO ENTER:

Take a fun, creative picture according to the week’s theme
Pick your preferred social channel
Like or Follow Freedom’s page
Post the picture in the comments on Freedom’s Contest Post or your own account using #FreedomSpiritWeeks
Make sure your post is set to “public” and to tag Freedom
Check Freedom’s Facebook page every Friday to see if you’re the winner and to try for the next challenge!

Members and non-members alike are welcome to enter. Enter each weekly contest up to 3 times, to maximize you chances of winning the weekly drawing and getting selected as a finalist for the Grand Prize. See our Contest Rules for full details.

HOW TO WIN A WEEKLY PRIZE:

Submit up to 3 entries per week
Submission are due by each Thursday at 11:59 pm during the contest period
A winner will be selected by a Random Name Picker internet tool the following Friday morning

GRAND PRIZE INFO:

Grand Prize Vote is scheduled to start 10:00 am on Thursday, August 13, 2020 and will run for 24 hours
All 8 weekly winners are guaranteed to be finalists for the Grand Prize
Additional finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges
Finalists will compete to collect votes

HOW TO WIN THE GRAND PRIZE:

Freedom will re-post the finalist photos on our Facebook Page on August 13th at 10:00 am
Every Like/Love = 1 Vote
If you’re a finalist…come prepared to like and share your re-posted photo! Collect as many likes and loves as you can in 24 hours!
WILDCARD FACTOR: Freedom employees are voting internally too. Their votes will have you guessing until the very end!
Have Fun!

@FreedomFCU

@FreedomFedCU

#HeroNurses

LET’s CELEBRATE our #heronurses, HARFORD COUNTY!

WIN A $50 eGIFT CARD FOR A HARFORD COUNTY NURSE

Look for our #HeroNurses Photo Contest on our social media pages starting May 6th, 2020 running until Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

If you are a nurse or know a nurse who lives or works in Harford County…

1. POST a photo of a nurse (could be you!) in the comments on our Facebook or Twitter post
(Or use #HeroNurses and @FreedomFedCU on your public Instagram profile)

2. FOLLOW our social media page

3. SHARE our social media post

We will draw a winner Tuesday, May 12th, at about noon!

Full Contest Rules / Details

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

*Nurses may live and/or work in Harford County. Nurses are welcome to enter themselves.