BUFFALO, N.Y., April 28, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- From saving to buy an MP3 player to saving for college, elementary school students at 19 schools in three states will learn about the importance of saving from M&T Bank volunteers during "National Teach Children to Save Day."

M&T employees will join thousands of bankers across the country visiting local schools tomorrow, April 29th, as part of the American Bankers Association Education Foundation's National Teach Children to Save Day, a financial literacy initiative established in 1997.

"A recent national survey by the JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy shows that our high school students get failing grades when it comes to understanding money. Introducing some basic money concepts, such as the importance of saving, to elementary school kids is a good place to start building these basic skills," said M&T Bank President Mark Czarnecki.

    M&T volunteers are teaching students in the following schools:

    New York
    Westminster Community Charter School, Buffalo
    Public School #25, Rochester
    Public School #8 -- Roberto Clemente Elementary, Rochester
    St. Augustine School, Highland

    Pennsylvania
    Logan Elementary, Altoona
    St. John the Evangelist, Altoona
    Camp Curtin Elementary School, Harrisburg
    Central Manor Elementary, Lancaster
    Bensalem High School, Bensalem
    Corpus Christi Elementary, Chambersburg
    West Beaver Elementary, Lewisburg
    Middleburg Elementary, Middleburg
    Spring Grove Elementary, York
    Paradise Elementary, York
    Bellefonte Elementary School, Bellefonte

    Maryland
    Violetville Elementary School, Baltimore
    George Washington Elementary School, Baltimore
    Lake Arbor Elementary School, Prince George's County
    Sargent Shriver Elementary School, Silver Spring

The bank offers the following tips to help parents promote good saving habits:

    --  Make saving visible -- putting change in a jar helps introduce the
        concept of saving.

    --  Check your local library or bookstore for children's books that teach
        basic financial concepts.

    --  Help kids open their own bank savings accounts and make deposits
        regularly. Many banks have children's accounts that have no fee or
        minimum balance requirements.

    --  Talk to your children about budgeting and help them budget for an
        outing or purchase.

    --  Teach children how an ATM machine works and explain that you have to
        put money into a bank before you can take it out.

The ABA Education Foundation's National Teach Children to Save Day is held every April, giving bankers an opportunity to address the importance of saving with children across the country.

M&T Bank serves customers at 690 branches in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

For Further Information:

Chet Bridger 716-842-5182

SOURCE M&T Bank

http://www.mandtbank.com

Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

News Provided by COMTEX