Community First with Firstrade
At Firstrade, we believe that community comes first. Each year as our client base has grown, so has our commitment to making the world a better place. One of the most important ways we show our support is by giving to nonprofit organizations that are devoted to improving the lives, health and safety of everyone in our global community.
Firstrade: Supporting the health and safety of our global community
A company's true culture is demonstrated by the way it reaches out to those in need. Since 1985 we have been devoted to many charitable causes that matter to our employees, our accountholders and our community. Whether we’re donating to victims of a natural disaster, giving to an organization like The Red Cross, or sponsoring an event such as Relay for Life, we are dedicated to having a positive impact on the world around us. Have a look at some of the ways we've demonstrated our commitment to community below!
Hurricane Ian Relief
October 26, 2022
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – Hurricane Ian made landfall west of Fort Myers, Florida on September 28 as a Category-4 storm, causing many fatalities and catastrophic damage to cities in its path. In the aftermath, many Florida residents experienced displacement, flooding, power outages and damage to their homes.
Firstrade worked closely with the area’s main bottled water distributor, Blue Triton, and the largest church in Fort Myers (First Assembly of God - an official relief distribution center) to reach distressed communities in the Fort Myers area and supply them with 23 pallets of drinkable water.
“Working directly with the local community enabled us to cut through the red tape and normal delays that occur in a crisis to get the relief to the affected communities sooner.” said Jeff Huang, CIO of Firstrade.
The cleanup and restoration process is expected to take some weeks, however Firstrade is continuing to support the Florida community during these testing times. The new Orlando FL branch and its support to the Floridian community is the start of continued initiatives in the state, to help the community get back on its feet after the devastation brought by Ian.
Making Strides
Help us transform the world by taking part in our upcoming events
We are excited to announce that on October 18, 2015 we will be sponsoring the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. We invite everyone to visit our booth in Central Park. When you stop by, you’ll receive a free selfie stick to give your cancer walk selfies a whole new angle.
In addition to giving away selfie sticks, Firstrade will also be giving away Fitbit Flex Trackers to 5 lucky “Making Strides NYC” participants who post a picture or video that garners the most likes on our Facebook event page.
Breast cancer isn’t a disease we can cure with a one-day event, so Firstrade will continue making donations throughout Breast Cancer Awareness month. We will be giving $5 to breast cancer research for every account opened using the MAKINGSTRIDES verification code during October.
We are honored to make a difference in our global community and proud of the difference our employees and accountholders make. Together, we can change the world.
Japan Tsunami Relief
March - April 2011
On March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Japan. This triggered a tsunami with waves as high as 133 feet resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries and hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes. After the disaster, Firstrade was there to help those in need get medical treatment, food, water and shelter.
We started our initiative by setting up a fund through the Red Cross and making a donation. Once word got out about our contribution, our amazing employees made it clear they wanted to take part and they began donating to the fund. In order to give our accountholders the opportunity to contribute, we also set up a link from our homepage to the Firstrade page on the Red Cross site.
Finally, we offered free wire transfers allowing our accountholders to send money to banks in Japan for a month at no charge. This ensured that every dollar sent went right to those who needed it most.
Right on Track
Relay for Life, Flushing NY | June 2010
The American Cancer Society held its annual Relay For Life event at the Bayside Athletic Field in Flushing, NY, for communities around the world to honor the lives of people who have fought hard against the destructive disease. Since 1985, Relay For Life has become an important yearly tradition wherein participants highlight the central theme - to celebrate the rebirth of the survivors, to remember the lives lost, and to fight back against cancer for a better future.
Firstrade Securities has maintained its own tradition of being a proud sponsor of the life-changing event for several years. In 2010, Firstrade was honored to be the major sponsor of Relay for Life. John Liu, CEO of Firstrade Securities, gave the keynote speech wherein he advocated the importance of prevention and treatment of cancer.
All funds raised were contributed to the American Cancer Society.The Relay holds special inspirational events keeping in line with the theme of “Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back.”