Employee-directed Giving Program, Making Change, Lends a Helping Hand to Local Schools
FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season, MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:MNSB, MNSBP)), the financial holding company for MainStreet Bank, is investing in the future of our community by giving a boost to local schools, scholarships, and education programs. Through corporate giving and employee engagement, the bank is making a difference for learners of all ages.
More than one-quarter (27%) of all donations from the bank's employee-directed giving program, Making Change, have gone to local schools and education programs. Additionally, MainStreet Bank recently hosted a company-wide back-to-school backpack drive in partnership with Cornerstones, ensuring Fairfax County students in need had the tools to succeed.
Launched in 2023, Making Change empowers every full-time employee to direct $1,000 to a cause they care about. This innovative approach allows smaller organizations to receive crucial support, especially during the holiday season.
"Making Change puts the power of philanthropy directly in our employees' hands," said Jeff W. Dick, Chairman and CEO of MainStreet Bancshares, Inc., and MainStreet Bank. "These donations are just one example of MainStreet Bank's commitment to investing in the communities we serve. By empowering our employees to support local causes they care about, we can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors and build a stronger future for everyone."
The program has already made a significant impact since its inception in March 2023:
- Making Change has donated over $75,000 to local schools and education programs, funding everything from classroom supplies to science equipment.
- MainStreet Bank employees honored the memory of a colleague's son with cumulative scholarship donations totaling $32,000 to the Prince William County Public Schools Education Foundation — the largest gift made through the Making Change program. The scholarship, awarded annually to a graduating senior from Osbourn Park High School, was increased from $3,000 to $5,000 thanks to the donation, ensuring its sustainability.
- Inspired by a team of Fairfax High School students who created a financial literacy program for younger children, MainStreet Bank employees pooled their resources to donate $7,500 through the Making Change program. This donation enabled the students, members of their school's DECA chapter, to travel to Anaheim, California, and compete at DECA's international competition for emerging leaders and entrepreneurs.
- Recognizing the importance of adult education, employees also directed $3,000 to the English Empowerment Center and $1,000 to the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy. These programs provide vital English language skills, helping immigrants thrive in their communities and the job market.
"Education is critical, yet many schools struggle to fund those 'extras' that enrich the learning experience. That's why so many of our team members choose to support schools," says Trish Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer of the $2.2 billion-asset bank. "Making Change empowers them to make a difference, giving back where it matters most."
In addition to those already mentioned, other local public and private schools and educational programs that have received Making Change donations include:
Alexandria City
- Cora Kelly Elementary School
Fairfax County
- Asian Educators Association
- Barber Family Foundation
- Centreville Elementary School
- C.G. Woodson High School
- Fairfax Villa Elementary School
- Hands Christian Daycare
- Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School
- Robinson Secondary School
- St. Timothy Catholic School
Fauquier County
- M.M. Pierce Elementary School
Jefferson County, WV
- C.W. Shipley Elementary School
Loudoun County
- Cornerstone Christian Academy
- Countryside Elementary School
- Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School
- Goshen Post Elementary School
- Hearts for the Lord Academy
- Legacy Elementary School
- Mercer Middle School
Prince William County
- Hampton Middle School
BACKGROUND: MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:MNSB, MNSBP)), is a small-cap financial holding company trading in the Nasdaq Capital Market index. The financial holding company owns 100% of MainStreet Bank, a business-focused community bank headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. The Bank engages a branch-lite model with six full-service financial centers in Herndon, Fairfax, McLean, Leesburg, Clarendon, and Washington, D.C. MainStreet Bank has 55,000 free ATMs and a fully integrated online and mobile banking solution. The Bank is not restricted by a conventional branching system, as it can offer business customers the ability to Put Our Bank in Your Office®. With robust and easy-to-use online business banking technology, MainStreet has "put our bank" in well over 1,000 businesses in the metropolitan area.
In 2021, the Board and management decided to make an investment in technology that would best serve clients requiring Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS). The Avenu BaaS solution was officially released into service on October 1, 2024. The ability to digitally offer banking services in a safe and compliant manner allows the Company to reach new customer deposit segments, diversify revenue streams and generate additional income. The BaaS market is currently underserved, and the opportunities for a well-developed solution are robust. The Avenu business model is in line with the Company's physical branch-lite strategy.
MainStreet Bank has a robust line of business and professional lending products, including government contracting lines of credit, commercial lines and term loans, residential and commercial construction, and commercial real estate. MainStreet Bank is an SBA Preferred Lender offering 7A and 504 lending solutions. From sophisticated cash management to enhanced mobile banking and instant-issue Debit Cards, MainStreet Bank is always looking for ways to improve our customer's experience.
MainStreet Bank was the first community bank in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to offer a full online business banking solution. MainStreet Bank was also the first bank headquartered in the Commonwealth of Virginia to offer CDARS – a solution that provides multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance. Further information on the Bank can be obtained by visiting its website at mstreetbank.com.
MainStreet Bank provides a full-stack embedded banking solution that connects fintech partners and their apps directly and seamlessly to the purpose-built Avenu core. Avenu's clients are fintechs, social media solutions, application developers, money movers, and entrepreneurs. They all have one thing in common: They are in search of a reliable partner to help innovate how money moves - solving real-world issues and helping communities thrive. MainStreet Bank is that reliable partner dedicated to providing a best-in-class solution to sustain long-term business relationships.
MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. has an investment grade rating of "A" from Egan-Jones Rating Company.
This release contains forward-looking statements, including our expectations with respect to future events that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expect," "plan," "project," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "pursuant," "target," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations include: fluctuation in market rates of interest and loan and deposit pricing, adverse changes in the overall national economy as well as adverse economic conditions in our specific market areas, future impacts of pandemic outbreaks, maintenance and development of well-established and valued client relationships and referral source relationships, and acquisition or loss of key production personnel. We caution readers that the list of factors above is not exclusive. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and we may not undertake steps to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of any circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements are made. In addition, our past results of operations are not necessarily indicative of future performance.
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SOURCE MainStreet Bank