MONROE, Mich., Feb. 23, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monroe Bank & Trust (MBT) received the American Bankers Association (ABA) national award for financial literacy and community outreach during the National Conference for Community Bankers in San Diego on Feb. 22. MBT was honored for its MBTeach education program.
Developed and launched in 2009, MBTeach provides on-going formal literacy instruction and curriculum to non-profits, schools and businesses with a concentration on underserved populations and returning students without high school level General Education Diplomas or equivalents. Popular courses include "To Your Credit," "Your First Home," "Check It Out," and "Money Matters," all of which are based upon the FDIC's "Money Smart" curriculum.
Organizations and corporations that regularly request classes include Monroe Adult Education, Bedford Adult Education, Monroe County Library System, Monroe County Opportunity Program, Southeast Michigan Community Alliance, Michigan Works!, Tailor Welded Blanks, the Family Medical Center, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Head Start and the AFL-CIO.
MBTeach is also an integral part of the programming and curriculum of the Monroe County Learning Bank Network (MCLBN), a collaborative non-profit public/private learning organization that was jointly developed by MBT, Monroe County Community College (MCCC), Monroe County Schools, Monroe Adult Education and Bedford Adult Education, as well as a number of non-profit and government agencies.
"Monroe Bank & Trust is honored to receive this award which represents our commitment, passion and leadership in Monroe and southeast Michigan throughout the year," Doug Chaffin, President and CEO, said. "MBT and its employees have distinguished themselves for their longstanding commitment of giving back to this community."
The ABA selection committee gave 9 total awards from a field of more than 180 nominations based on the innovation, creativity and effectiveness of the bank's approach to making a difference in its community.
Entries were divided into seven categories including helping to achieve homeownership, encouraging volunteerism, fundraising for foundations and local groups, improving financial literacy, reaching out to the underserved, building with Habitat for Humanity and revitalizing your community.
The ABA Community Bank Awards program was established in 2005 to recognize community banks' outstanding charitable achievements.
For further information about the MBTeach program, please contact Jennifer Tucker at Jennifer.tucker@mbandt.com of (734) 384-8269.
About MBT
MBT Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:MBTF), a single bank holding company headquartered in Monroe, Michigan, is the parent company of Monroe Bank & Trust (MBT).
Founded in 1858, MBT is one of the largest community banks in Southeast Michigan. MBT is a full-service bank, offering a complete range of business and personal accounts, credit options, and phone and online banking services. MBT's Wealth Management Group is one of the largest and most respected in Southeastern Michigan. With 25 offices, 41 ATMs, and a comprehensive array of products and services, MBT prides itself in offering an incomparable banking experience for its customers. Visit MBT's web site at .
The MBT Financial Corp. logo is available at
CONTACT: Jennifer Tucker Marketing Officer Monroe Bank & Trust (734) 384-8269 jennifer.tucker@mbandt.com