BUFFALO, N.Y., Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate Giving
Tuesday, a global day to give back, M&T Bank announced Waggies
by Maggie & Friends has been awarded the $10,000 grand prize in its first-ever
Understanding What's Important Business Challenge, an
initiative that celebrates local businesses and the organizations
they support to make a difference in their communities. Four other
finalist community organizations each received $1,000.
Waggies by Maggie & Friends is a Wilmington, Delaware-based nonprofit dog treat
company that provides meaningful employment opportunities for
persons with intellectual disabilities. They plan to invest the
$10,000 prize into additional
equipment to improve their baking process in order to grow and
offer more life-changing work experiences to people in their
community.
With the Understanding What's Important Business Challenge,
M&T Bank invited local businesses to share their stories about
community organizations that are important to them. Janssen's
Market, a gourmet supermarket in Greenville, Delaware and the first retail
store to carry Waggies dog treats, entered the challenge and
nominated Waggies for the opportunity to win a $10,000 gift of support from M&T.
"At M&T Bank, we understand the impact that local businesses
have on our communities. They create jobs, drive economic growth,
and improve quality of life by giving back to local charities and
nonprofit organizations," said Eric
Feldstein, M&T Bank senior vice president and manager of
business banking. "We launched the Understanding What's
Important Business Challenge to celebrate the community impact of
local businesses, and we are so pleased to congratulate Waggies by
Maggie & Friends and Janssen's Market as well as all of the
organizations that took part in this initiative for all they do to
make their communities the best they can be."
M&T received nearly 500 submissions from businesses
throughout its geographic footprint. Five were selected as
finalists, and the public was given an opportunity to vote online
for their favorite of the five finalist organizations. More than
20,000 votes were cast to help determine the winning
organization.
In addition to the $10,000 prize
for Waggies, M&T awarded $1,000
prize grants today to the remaining four finalists, which
included:
- Benedictine Health Foundation of Kingston, New York; nominated by Timely
Signs
- Community Helping Hands of Jamestown, New York; nominated by Trinity
Guitars
- LifePath Christian Ministries of York, Pennsylvania; nominated by Osterberg
Chiropractic Centres
- There Goes My Hero Inc. of Lutherville, Maryland; nominated by
ProfitComm
To learn more about the grand-prize winner, the four finalist
organizations and their nominating businesses, visit:
https://bank.mtb.com/BusinessContest
The grand-prize winner was selected based upon independent
scoring criteria that most heavily weighed the public vote and also
considered other key factors, including the impact of the prize
money, why the community organization is important to the
nominating business and the business' involvement with the
organization.
Founded in November 2007, Waggies
by Maggie & Friends produces all-natural dog treats, while
empowering people with intellectual disabilities to be successful
in their workplace and in the community. Over the last 10 years,
Janssen's Market has helped them buy equipment, design packaging
for retail distribution and offered ongoing business advice and
support. Their long-term relationship is a textbook example of the
community impact M&T hoped to highlight with its business
challenge. To learn more about Waggies, visit
http://waggies.org.
M&T's business banking team is committed to "Understanding
What's Important" to each of its business customers. Whether it's
expanding the company, hiring more workers, investing in new
equipment or supporting nonprofit organizations in their community,
M&T works alongside local businesses to help them achieve their
goals and foster long-term success.
About M&T Bank
M&T 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.
© 2017 M&T Bank. Member FDIC.
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SOURCE M&T Bank Corporation