M&T delivers more than 1,000 blankets to students at Buffalo Promise Neighborhood schools
BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 20, 2016—M&T Bank spread holiday happiness and enthusiasm for the Buffalo Bills today by giving more than 1,000 Bills blankets to students at two local elementary schools.
Joined by Buffalo Bills’ mascot Billy Buffalo, M&T Bank employees made surprise visits to local classrooms to deliver the blankets to students. M&T provided a blanket for every child at Highgate Heights Elementary School and Westminster Community Charter School, which are both served by the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (BPN) initiative.
“M&T Bank is committed to giving back to our community, and we hope the Bills blankets we delivered to Buffalo Promise Neighborhood will help rally some of Buffalo’s youngest fans behind our hometown team,” said Pearl Brucks, M&T Bank Kensington Branch Manager. “The Bills are an integral part of culture here in Western New York. We’re happy this warm holiday gift will help these students show their team pride during this weekend’s game.”
The blanket donation marks the latest chapter in M&T Bank’s support for the students served by BPN, a program it launched in 2010 to boost academic performance and create a sustainable model for neighborhood revitalization. With M&T’s support, BPN provides children and families with cradle-to-career solutions that promote student achievement and healthy development.
“We’re so pleased M&T Bank has generously donated more than 1,000 blankets to the children we serve at Highgate Heights and Westminster Community Charter School,” said BPN CEO David Chamberlain. “M&T has a long history of helping out local families, and their commitment to Buffalo Promise Neighborhood has remained steadfast since the program’s inception. They truly are great allies for everyone here in the City of Good Neighbors.”
This special blanket delivery is just one of several community initiatives that M&T and the Bills have teamed up on recently. M&T held a series of in-branch rallies with Bills’ alumni throughout the season, gave free tickets to BPN families for the annual Kids’ Day game and continued the Touchdown for Teachers initiative, which provides classroom grants and honors teachers’ commitments to their schools and communities.
This year, M&T also debuted The Comfort Zone, a newly designated private section within the M&T Club. Tickets in The Comfort Zone were donated to eight local not-for-profit organizations. Together, it’s all a part of M&T’s ongoing efforts to bring fans even closer to the team.
About M&T Bank
M&T Bank Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T’s principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Trust-related services are provided by M&T’s Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.
© 2016 M&T Bank. Member FDIC.
Julia Shanahan
(716) 842-5385
jshanahan@mtb.com