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

Freedom

If you’d have told me last year what 2020 would be like, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here we are. From the global impact of the pandemic to the global impact of the tragic events in Minneapolis, we have seen the best and worst in humankind.

Having lived in the 60’s, there is a disheartening familiarity to it at times and though I may have only been a young boy, I was nonetheless cognizant of those dramatic times. Polio vaccines in school, the Vietnam War, civil unrest and so on. Recent events have made me realize just how aware I was back then even though only nine. It’s astonishing how sights, sounds and smells trigger memories long forgotten. I recently awoke with a particular verse playing in my head from a song called “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan which goes:

Yes, ‘n’ how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

I’m sure, as with all of us, our collective life experience informs who we are and guides us down life’s path. No doubt they are the reason I wound up in a credit union that focuses on improving the lives and experiences of those we serve. They also remind me that Freedom is not just our name; it is a symbol of our commitment to our community.

Our mission of people helping people requires we not be silent in troubled times. It requires we stand united with all people against racism, hatred, intolerance, and injustice. It requires that we stand, as an organization and as human beings, in support of equality, diversity, inclusion, and the well-being of our global community.

Mike

Michael MacPherson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Freedom Federal Credit Union

A Message from President and CEO, Mike MacPherson

May 15, 2020

Dear Members,

There has been a lot of talk recently about “reopening”. I imagine it raises questions for you about our plans at Freedom and I would like to address them; I just don’t have all the answers yet. What I can tell you is, we will not rush things.

Like everything you hear, we too will be taking a phased approach. What that approach will be exactly, or when it will happen, will first be dependent, and in alignment, with the Governor’s Roadmap to Recovery guidance announced on May 13, as well as what we feel is best for our members and employees. There will be numerous other considerations including, but not limited to, staff and member safety, social distancing needs, controlled access, hours of operation, branch configuration, and so on.

We are learning a lot from our experience serving you with the current changes in place at our branches, and how you have embraced those changes. This will help us determine what is necessary and what is in your best interests going forward. We also consider how we can best maintain our culture, our relationships, and our connection to the community in a more “touchless” world.

While we don’t know what the upcoming weeks and months will look like, we know it will be different, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We know we are not alone in this; every business will need to evolve in some way. We have had, and will continue to have, discussions about next steps and gather information since each location can pose different challenges. Whatever decisions are made will be based on the same strategies we have focused and built our success on – the employee and member experience.

Believe me, I would love to be the modern-day Nostradamus and to tell you every decision regarding reopening, or potential changes, will be perfect from the start. The reality is this is all new and we must ease into any action one step at a time. Most decisions are the result of facts, research, analysis and so on. We will not risk the trust you place in us by guessing or by worrying about what everyone else is doing. We have, and will, make decisions based on what we know and what we believe to be in the best interest of all for the greater good. You deserve that. All we ask in return is your understanding and flexibility as we navigate today’s “conditional normalcy” (whatever the conditions dictate will be what is normal).

For now, when we can safely open lobbies in our branches again, they may look and operate a bit differently. Masks will be required, social distancing should be expected, and appointments may be necessary for the short-term. You may also find that branches may be slightly reconfigured with plexiglass barriers, staff employing necessary physical distancing, signs posted with instructions for conducting business and floor markers indicating where to stand.

Regardless of how things look and what requirements are necessitated, rest assured you are still our priority and that Freedom, at its core, remains unchanged in our purpose, mission and commitment as we forge a new path in service of you and our community.

We will communicate our plans in the coming days and weeks. Until then, I want to thank you for your patience, your support, your resilience, and your trust in Freedom.

Warmest Regards,

Michael MacPherson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Freedom Federal Credit Union