2024 Golden Apple Educator Awards

We are now accepting entries for this year’s Golden Apple Educator Award! Entrants must be a Freedom Member* and an employee at a Harford or Baltimore County school (public or private).

1. TWO First Place – $2,000 Awards
2. TWO Second Place – $1,000 Awards
3. TWO First Runner-Up – $500 Awards
4. TWO Second Runner-Up $500 Awards

To enter, submit an entry form and essay. The essay must describe how you would use the funds and why you should be the one to win! Scoring favors proposals demonstrating the greatest impact on local schools, classes, students, and/or the community at large.

Freedom Federal Credit Union is pleased to offer EIGHT Annual Educator Awards of $2,000, $1,000, $500 and $500, four each to Harford and Baltimore County Education Employees who may be a deserving teacher, school administrator or school support employee.

Scoring favors submissions with the greatest impact and creativity with a strong preference for ideas/initiatives that are sustainable over multiple years.

.TO ENTER: Complete the entry form and submit an essay that explains why you deserve the award. Your essay may address any or all of the following questions:

What is your creative idea or initiative to benefit your students, your class, or your school? If you win this award, how will you make it happen using the funds from this award?
How will your idea or initiative support or improve the learning experience of your students or benefit your classroom or school overall?
Will your idea or initiative benefit the overall community? If yes, how so?

Please submit your Golden Apple – 2024 Educator Award Entry Form and essay to enter@freedomfcu.org by May 31, 2024.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges made up of Freedom employees, volunteers and community partners.

Entry deadline is May 31, 2024
Submit by email to enter@freedomfcu.org
We will contact award recipients by June 21, 2024

LEARN ABOUT THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS OFFERED TO HARFORD AND BALTIMORE COUNTY EDUCATORS- EXPLORE THE REST OF THE GOLDEN APPLE PROGRAM!

*New members are also welcome to apply!

Payment Protection Program Scams

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been one of the most important pieces of legislation signed into effect since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The unsecured loans through the Small Business Association (SBA) have enabled our favorite retail shops, restaurants and small businesses to stay afloat, even as the coronavirus devastates sectors of the economy.

Not surprisingly, scammers have been using the PPP for their own purposes, mainly to con struggling business owners out of money. In these scams, they’ll pose as SBA representatives or legitimate lenders to ask for personal information from the borrower. They may also send bogus emails appearing to be from the SBA to lead the victim into downloading malware.

Scammers are getting smarter all the time, but so are we! Here’s how to avoid PPP scams:

Know how PPP loans are processed

Ready to apply for a PPP loan? Fill it out the SBA PPP loan application, and submit it to an SBA-approved lender. You’ll also need to provide some documents, such as tax returns for 2019, verifiable payroll expense documents, your most recent mortgage or rent statement, etc.

If you’re applying for a Second Draw PPP Loan, you will also need documentation that shows how you have used, or plan to use, your original PPP funds.

After you’ve submitted your application, just sit back and wait for approval.

How can I protect my business from PPP fraud?

Do:

Be wary of any individuals demanding immediate payment or asking that you make immediate contact to be eligible for a PPP loan. These are likely scammers.
Only use a lender that is accredited by the SBA. You can find all SBA-approved lenders here.
Look for the .gov at the end of each email or website allegedly from the SBA or another government entity.
Report any suspected scams to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Don’t let those crooks walk free!

Don’t:

Pay for a program that promises to process or expedite a PPP loan request if the organization behind the program is not accredited by the SBA.
Share any personal information with an unverified caller or email contact. If it’s personal info, make sure to keep it that way!
Click on links or download files from an unfamiliar email address.

Stay safe!

Freedom has made the Paycheck Protection Program available to its current members. Applicants must have established a business or personal membership with Freedom on or before December 27, 2020. Visit freedomfcu.org/business/ppp/ for more details.

Your Turn: Are you a small business owner who has applied for a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program? Tell us about it on Facebook, LinkedIn,Twitter, or Instagram @FreedomFedCU.

Breathe 379 Wins Freedom Federal Credit Union’s #FreedomToHelpChallenge

Credit Union Awards $1,000 to Small Local Non-Profit to Support their Hope Center

Bel Air, MD – Freedom Federal Credit Union is pleased to congratulate Mike Nolan, Founder, Executive Director, and volunteer for Breathe 379, for winning the 3^rd annual #FreedomToHelpChallenge. The six-week social media contest called for entrants to post pictures celebrating Harford or Baltimore County volunteerism for a chance to win $1,000 and other weekly prizes for their local charity of choice. Each week individual volunteers and non-profit organizations posted pictures showcasing local volunteerism in an effort that reached all corners of the two counties. Weekly winners and the Grand Award winner were chosen during public voting periods on Freedom’s Facebook page.

“I have to be honest, I’m completely blown away by it. I wasn’t even going to enter thinking we didn’t have a chance to win, but on a whim, I posted a submission of our amazing volunteers, and our supporters took it from there. We are so grateful for the Freedom To Help Challenge, for giving us the opportunity to showcase and thank our volunteers, and for everything Freedom has done for us in the wake of winning, not just in donations, but with publicity for our cause,” stated Mike Nolan. “This award will now allow even more members of our community and beyond to be served by Breathe’s Hope Center! Thank you, Freedom Federal Credit Union, for helping us help others!”

Officially founded in 2016, Breathe 379 is based in the simple notion of helping others, whatever the need. Breathe’s Hope Center, based in Edgewood, Maryland, looks quite different from most food and clothing pantries, providing a relaxing environment and complimentary coffee bar to help ease stress and offer the hope that is very much needed in everyone’s life from time to time. The organization is probably best known for their B379 Toy Drive, which distributes thousands of toys to local Harford County children in need during the holidays.

Mike Nolan and volunteers Nick Nizer, Vice President and Manager of the Well at Breathe, Bailey Alampi, Manager of Bailey Sue’s Country Market at Breathe, and Cheryl Andrews, Manager of The Cabin at Breathe, were all recently honored in a check presentation held at Breathe’s Hope Center with the $1,000 grand award. The Hope Center is located at 2124 Nuttal Ave. in Edgewood, Maryland and is open each Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and the second Saturday of every month from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Learn more at breathe379.com.

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 five locations throughout Harford County. To learn more, visit www.freedomfcu.org