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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549





                                 SCHEDULE 13G/A

                    UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                               (AMENDMENT NO. 5)*


                         FIRSTFED AMERICA BANCORP, INC.
                         ------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                     Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
                     ---------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   337929-10-3
                                   -----------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                                December 31, 2002
             -------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

      /_/ Rule 13d-1 (b)
      /x/ Rule 13d-1 (c)
      /_/ Rule 13d-1 (d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).



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CUSIP No. 337929-10-3
          -----------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.      NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS.
        I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY).
        The FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
        (a) /__/
        (b) /__/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.      SEC USE ONLY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
        Delaware

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF             5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES                          601,972
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY              ----------------------------------------------------------
EACH                  6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
REPORTING                       0
PERSON
WITH                  ----------------------------------------------------------
                      7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                601,972

                      ----------------------------------------------------------
                      8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
              601,972

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.     CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
        (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
              7.2% of 8,400,169 shares of Common Stock outstanding
              as of December 31, 2002.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
              CO

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



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                       THE FIRSTFED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

                                 SCHEDULE 13G/A

ITEM 1.

      (a)   Name of Issuer:

            FIRSTFED AMERICA BANCORP, INC.

      (b)   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

            ONE FIRSTFED PARK
            Swansea, Massachusetts 02777

ITEM 2.

      (a)   Name of Person Filing:

            The FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation

      (b)   Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:

            ONE FIRSTFED PARK
            Swansea, Massachusetts 02777

      (c)   Citizenship:

            Delaware

      (d)   Title of Class of Securities:

            Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

      (e)   CUSIP Number:

            337929-10-3

ITEM 3.     IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO SS.SS.240.13D-1(B) OR
            240.13D-2(B) OR (C), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS:

            Items (a)-(j) are not applicable.



                                Page 3 of 6 Pages

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ITEM 4.     OWNERSHIP.

            Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and
            percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in
            Item 1.

            (a)   Amount beneficially owned: 601,972

            (b)   Percent of class: 7.2%

            (c)   Number of shares as to which the person has:

                  (i)     Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 601,972
                          Pursuant to the Foundation's Certificate of
                          Incorporation, the shares must be voted in the same
                          ratio as all other shares of common stock on all
                          proposals considered by stockholders.

                  (ii)    Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0

                  (iii)   Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
                          601,972
                          The gift instrument places certain limits on the
                          amount of common stock that can be disposed of by the
                          Foundation in any one year.

                  (iv)    Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                          of: 0

ITEM 5.     OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS.

            N/A

ITEM 6.     OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.

            N/A

ITEM 7.     IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED
            THE  SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY OR
            CONTROL PERSON.

            N/A

ITEM 8.     IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.

            N/A



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ITEM 9.     NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP.

            N/A

ITEM 10.    CERTIFICATION.

            By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
            belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are
            not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or
            influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not
            acquired and are not held in connection with or as a  participant in
            any transaction having that purpose or effect.




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                                    SIGNATURE

      After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

                                February 13, 2003
                  --------------------------------------------
                                     (Date)

                            /s/ Edward A. Hjerpe, III
                  --------------------------------------------
                                   (Signature)

                              Edward A. Hjerpe, III
                                 Vice President,
                       The FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation
                  --------------------------------------------
                                  (Name/Title)









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