Columbus Day is Community Work Day for Freedom First Credit Union employees. Staff members and board of directors will spend the Oct. 8 holiday completing projects at six different locations in Roanoke and Christiansburg. Those benefiting from the work day are  Commonwealth Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley, Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program, Rescue Mission, Salvation Army and West End Center for Youth.

Here is the press release from Freedom First Credit Union

ROANOKE, Va. (October 2, 2012)—Each year, when financial institutions across the country are closed in recognition of the Columbus Day holiday, Freedom First Credit Union’s staff and board of directors spend the day hard at work completing projects for local nonprofit agencies. For the fifth annual Community Work Day on Oct., 8, nearly 150 Freedom First employees will complete projects at six sites in Roanoke and Christiansburg.

Most of this year’s Community Work Day beneficiary agencies are clustered in Roanoke’s West End–Hurt Park–Mountain View neighborhoods. “Targeting these neighborhoods allows us to build on the city of Roanoke’s nascent revitalization efforts here,” said Dave Prosser, Vice President of Community Development. “A lot of players are working together to make great things happen in this part of the city, and Freedom First is glad to be part of it and support positive change.”

The 2012 Community Work Day beneficiary agencies are Commonwealth Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley, Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program, Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, and West End Center for Youth. The Freedom First volunteers will wear company-designed “Freedom to Make a Difference” t-shirts and roll up their sleeves to paint, landscape, and cleanup worksites; help families apply for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program; provide the finishing touches on a Habitat for Humanity home; and organize seasonal thrift shop donations.

“These agencies expend their precious resources helping others, often deferring their own needs,” said Credit Union President/CEO Paul Phillips. “It’s very gratifying to come alongside such deserving people and help them any way we can.”

Freedom First, a not-for-profit institution itself, focuses most of its community giving program on carefully chosen grants and academic scholarships. The Credit Union decided in 2008 to further support its community partners through sweat equity. “Community Work Day has become an important part of the organization,” said Prosser. “Our employees look forward to this day each year and we appreciate the opportunity to spend a day making a positive impact on the work our partner agencies do year-round.”

For more information about Freedom First Credit Union’s Community Development initiatives, visit www.freedomfirst.com.

ABOUT FREEDOM FIRST CREDIT UNION
With nearly 40,000 members, assets of $275 million, and 9 branch locations, Freedom First Credit Union is the largest Community Development Financial Institution in Virginia. Founded in 1956, Freedom First Credit Union is owned and controlled by its members and operates for the purpose of providing access to affordable, equitable financial and development services to its members and the Roanoke and New River Valley communities. For more information, please visit www.freedomfirst.com.