Prominent Bank Reopens Branch In North Haven

NORTH HAVEN, CT — M&T Bank announced Thursday the grand reopening of its North Haven branch at 117 Washington Avenue.

M&T acquired the branch through its merger with People’s United Bank last year. It is located less than a mile from a Stop & Shop branch that was recently closed.

Bank staff who serviced the Stop & Shop branch will now provide service at this new branch, according to officials.

In conjunction with the branch reopening, M&T Bank announced it has made a $3,000 donation to the Slate School, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and K-12 independent school located in North Haven, as a “demonstration of its commitment to the communities it serves,” according to a news release.

Slate School is the “only independent K-12 school in the country that does not consider a student's ability to pay before accepting a child while meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for every admitted student,” the news release states. Eighty-nine percent of Slate School's students receive significant financial aid, with 50 percent paying less than 25 percent of tuition.

“At M&T Bank, we believe strongly in serving the community, and we are excited to extend our services to North Haven at this new branch,” Branch Manager Melvin McCoy said in the news release. “We are also extremely proud to support organizations that keep our communities happy, healthy, and safe. We are thrilled to donate $3,000 to Slate School in recognition of all the amazing things they do for the North Haven community.”

As a full-service bank, the North Haven branch includes a drive-up ATM, in-branch teller service, as well as online and digital solutions to meet customers’ banking preferences. The branch will provide an “array of consumer and commercial products and services along with wealth management products,” according to the release.

Five full-time employees will staff the branch.

“Partnerships with organizations like M&T Bank are what help make North Haven attractive to residents and businesses alike,” North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said. “We are pleased that M&T is consolidating these two branches at a convenient location where residents and businesses can access financial services with bankers who understand and appreciate the meaning of serving their community.”

Read more from the news release below:

“We are a bank for communities, delivering the capabilities of a big bank with the care and empathy of a locally focused institution,” said David Conner, M&T Bank’s Regional Manager. “With our communities, we partner to understand the challenges they face and their opportunities for growth so we can help every town and city we serve reach its fullest potential. Opening this branch in North Haven means our customers can better help us understand their needs and aspirations so that we can provide the support, guidance, and financial solutions they need to achieve their dreams.”

Ray Andrewsen, Executive Director of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce, said: “Our financial institutions are a key part of the economic engine of this community. Consolidating these two branches will bring greater access to financial expertise for the people and businesses of North Haven, and we are so grateful to M&T Bank and its leadership for recognizing and fulfilling the needs of our community.”

Jennifer Staple-Clark, founder and innovator at Slate School, said: “When we were founding Slate School, we knew that our beautiful site in North Haven was perfect for our vision and mission to bring curiosity-driven, nature-based education to children. We are grateful to M&T for investing in and supporting the community of North Haven, and we are so appreciative of their support of our school. We ensure that finances are not a barrier to attending Slate School's empowering approach to education, and 89% of our students receive significant financial aid. M&T's generous donation directly supports our students.”