We’re excited to be featured in Baltimore County Public Schools’ (BCPS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) October Show!
As BCPS’s trusted credit union for over 70 years, First Financial is proud to support the students, schools, and community through meaningful financial wellness initiatives. One of those programs includes the student-run branch network, which brings real-world banking directly into the schools.
In this month’s spotlight, hear from Youth Outreach Manager Cindy J. as she visits the Bayhawk Branch at Chesapeake High School. The student-run branches provide students with a safe and convenient space to manage their finances, ask questions, and build confidence in their financial decision-making.
But the program goes beyond banking. The branches are run by student interns who gain valuable professional experience, customer service expertise, financial knowledge and develop workplace skills that they can apply in any career path.
Student-Run Branches
At First Financial, our goal is to provide financial wellness for all members. By helping students learn how to use our products and services now, we’re preparing them to be financially ready for life after high school and beyond.
A big thank you to BCPS CTE for including us in the October Show! Check out the video to learn more.
First Financial employees joined the 11th Annual Tee Off for Team BCPS Golf Tournament, where we proudly served as the Platinum Sponsor. The event raised funds for mental health practitioners working in Baltimore County Public Schools.
All proceeds from the event will benefit The Education Foundation of BCPS and the 2026 Mind Over Matters Mental Health Conference.
We’re grateful to everyone who came out and made this event a success. Together, we’re building a stronger, healthier future for our schools and our community.
2025-10-17
First Financial Supports the 11th Annual Tee Off for Team BCPS Golf Tournament
First Financial Federal Credit Union recently welcomed students and families to our Administrative Center for an informative College 101 Workshop, presented in partnership with Student Choice.
Attendees had the opportunity to learn about key college planning topics, including:
Our FFFCU Scholarship Program
Tips for Choosing the Right College
The Cost of Higher Education and how to navigate the FAFSA
Understanding Award Letters
Finding Free Grants and Scholarships
Exploring Federal Direct Loan Options
Identifying Gap Funding Solutions
Suzanne Forcier from Student Choice discussed valuable information and helpful resources, and we’re grateful she could join us to share her expertise.
Whether you’re a student, parent, or just starting to think about college, First Financial is here to support you every step of the way. Be sure to check out our educational resources on our website to stay informed and empowered. For more details, visit firstfinancial.studentchoice.org.
First Financial Federal Credit Union’s annual school supply donation to Carroll County Public Schools was a huge success! Thanks to the generosity of our team and community, over $3,000 in supplies were donated to help students start the school year feeling confident and prepared.
What We Donated:
$365 from our staff to purchase essential school supplies
$500 donation through our Like for a Cause campaign
$2,150 in First Financial-branded school supplies
We’ve been proud partners with Carroll County Public Schools for over 30 years, and we’re thrilled to continue supporting the students and educators who make our community so special.
Here’s to a great school year ahead!
First Financial was proud to recently donate $34,568 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carroll County to support their “Power Hour” program, an after-school initiative to support learning outside of the classroom. Power Hour provides homework support, tutoring, and creative learning opportunities beyond the classroom for participating kids!
First Financial’s donation will be used to hire tutors from fellow FFFCU partner McDaniel College who will help aid in homework support and offering one-on-one tutoring to student for the 2025-26 academic school year.
Programs like the Power Hour are crucial to provide the academic support students need to succeed. At First Financial, we’re proud to help make these opportunities available for the youth in our community!
The First Financial team was excited to participate at the third annual Dr. Tim Tooten’s “Stuff the Bus School Supplies Drive” at the Padonia International Elementary in Baltimore County! This summer, First Financial and our employees generously contributed to the credit union’s annual school supply drive. We were proud to donate approximately $6,000 worth of school supplies to support local schools, students and educators!
Throughout August, various ‘Stuff the Bus’ collection sites were held in Baltimore City, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County and Baltimore County. This initiative supports Baltimore-area school districts and education organizations, ensuring students have the resources they need for a great school year.
As a credit union founded by educators, First Financial is committed to giving back to our community and supporting our educational systems however we can.
First Financial was excited to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carroll County again for their annual Lemonade Stand. The kids raised over $400 this year to fund activities and programs at their Club!
While running a lemonade stand is fun, it’s also an important summer entrepreneurship project where the kids learn the fundamentals of running a successful business. First Financial helped the kids prepare their product, create marketing and promotional signs, provide customer service, manage proceeds and more. Each of the kids had an equally important role in making the lemonade stand a success this year!
The kids served up fresh-squeezed lemonade and offered a summertime Baltimore favorite – lemon with peppermint sticks. The BGCCC Lemonade Stand opened for business on Main Street, ready to serve cold, refreshing treats to the Westminster community!
Financial education is incredibly important, especially beyond the classroom. Our team is dedicated to providing financial literacy education through interactive and engaging projects – such as the lemonade stand – for the youth in our community!
Thank you to the BGCCC for having us over and the Westminster community for making the day a huge success – and a lot of fun, too!
Photo Gallery
2025-08-05
Boys & Girls Clubs of Carroll County Lemonade Stand 2025
This year’s annual food drive, supporting The Westminster Rescue Mission, was yet another great success! In partnership with Knorr Brake Company (KBC), we donated plenty of food and $1,000 from employee donations!
Over the summer, the food drive collected non-perishable items and canned goods. Additionally, employees could make a monetary donation. A portion of the donations directly supported the Westminster Rescue Mission’s Plates of Plenty campaign, helping them purchase and distribute meat, fresh produce, dairy, and dry goods to food pantries across the county.
The Westminster Rescue Mission is a nonprofit organization that provides clinical, physical and spiritual resources to help Carroll County and Maryland residents in need. It has two distinct areas of service: its Addiction Healing Center and the Mission Food Program.
At First Financial, we’re committed to giving back to our members and community whenever we can. Through partnering with organizations such as the Westminster Rescue Mission and Knorr Brake Company, we’re able to make a real, positive impact on our community together!
Thank you to KBC and First Financial employees for their generosity!
Thank you for celebrating #ILoveMyCreditUnion with First Financial for the 5th year in a row! We were excited to join the Illinois Credit Union League and credit unions nationwide to celebrate the “credit union difference.”
Follow our official @FFFCUofMD social media channels Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn to see what belonging to First Financial means to our employees, partners and community!
Want to join in on the fun?
It’s simple! Just use the hashtag #ILoveMyCreditUnion on Friday, July 25th, and give us a shoutout @FFFCUofMD on your favorite social platform.
Please keep these tips in mind to post safely and responsibly:
Avoid oversharing personal, financial or professional information
Avoid tagging your location
Be aware of your background in any photos
Tag us @fffcuofmd and use the official hashtag #ilovemycreditunion
With the new semester quickly coming up, it’s time to make sure your dorm room is set with everything you need for a successful school year!
Join First Financial’s Youth Outreach Coordinator Jocelyn and our Marketing Intern Justin — your personal shoppers — to shop for your new dorm room on a budget.
The best part of this shopping experience? You can win all of the items… including a new TV! See how you can enter below.
You’ll be making some big financial decisions, so let us help you make the transition as smooth as possible. Jocelyn and Justin will help you determine the daily essential items you will need so you can maximize your living space in college!
As your financial partner for life, we’re here for your next adventure!
College Dorm Essentials Giveaway
This giveaway is now closed.
Thank you to everyone who participated and we wish all graduating seniors the very best!
How to Enter
Between July 22nd through July 31st, we’re asking our members to visit the giveaway reel on our official @FFFCUofMD Instagram to do the following for their chance to win:
Like the reel
Share the reel with your family and friends
Comment why the items purchased would be of benefit to you
Additional Information & Official Rules:
Remember, we will NEVER ask for credit card information or other personal/sensitive information on social media or online. We will also NEVER contact you from a page or profile other than our Official @FFFCUofMD Social Media pages.
If you have any questions, please contact Member Services at 410-321-6060 or toll-free at 1-800-903-3328.
No purchase is necessary. The giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 31st. Participants must be FFFCU members, ages 17-20 and a 2025 high school graduate. The winner must be able to pick up the prize at our Admin Center in Sparks, Maryland. One entry per person. The winner will be announced and contacted on Friday, August 1st. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Instagram or other brands/businesses included in the video or prize. For more information, read the 2025 College Dorm Essentials Giveaway Official Rules
How to Open
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