First Financial helps teachers access much-needed school supplies with Exchangeree sponsorship
LUTHERVILLE, MD (February 28, 2019) — A lack of access to school supplies is a hardship too many students and their teachers face – and not just on day one, but throughout each school year. First Financial Federal Credit Union sought to help alleviate that need by becoming a $7,500 Platinum Sponsor of the Baltimore County Public Schools Education Foundation’s Exchangeree. The Foundation established the Exchangeree as a permanent place where teachers can go to gather the supplies they need for their classrooms and students. The opening of the Exchangeree was recently commemorated with an Open House celebration welcoming the BCPS community and business partners alike.
The Open House, held on January 31, helped to raise awareness among teachers of the resources available to them and jump-start distribution of donated school supplies throughout the community. The brand new teacher resource center officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 19, 2018, but the open house event served to bring many more educators together and launch the program in a more hands-on way.
“Today, hardworking teachers are spending hundreds of dollars of their own money every year on school supplies for their classes, even when they can’t really afford to,” said Cindy Jones, First Financial’s Youth Outreach Manager and Member of the Baltimore County Public Schools Education Foundation’s Board of Directors. “This sponsorship is our way of helping to put an end to that, and to help introduce what we see as an incredibly innovative program, one that benefits students and teachers in need with resources to succeed throughout the school year. The Exchangeree open house brought together a lot of excited educators, and we can’t wait to see what kind of impact it has on our local schools.”
In addition to school supplies, the Exchangeree will also accept and distribute donations of needed seasonal items, such as hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens during the winter months. First Financial encourages businesses and individuals throughout Baltimore County to support the Foundation’s Exchangeree by volunteering and donating supplies.
To learn more about the Exchangeree, visit www.educationfoundationbcps.org/exchangeree.
First Financial sponsors the BCPS Education Foundation Exchangeree. Pictured left to right: Joan Pugh (First Financial Relationship Manager), Tim Bojanowski (President, Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools), Cindy Jones (First Financial Youth Outreach Manager and Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools Board Member), and Deborah Phelps (Executive Director, Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools)
About First Financial Federal Credit Union (MD)
First Financial Federal Credit Union serves the employees, students, and parents of the Baltimore, Carroll, Somerset, and Worcester County Public School systems, as well as the employees and families of many area businesses, hospitals, private schools, and colleges. The Credit Union’s product offerings include free checking, online and mobile services, auto loans, credit cards, and home loans. Don’t Just Bank, Belong; visit www.firstfinancial.org for details.
