Madison Education Foundation (MEF) Announces $5,000 Annual Pledge from Union Center National Bank

The Madison Education Foundation (MEF) is delighted to announce the support of Union Center National Bank (UCNB) in the form of a $5,000 annual grant.  The Union Center National Bank Enrichment Grant will further the work of MEF, whose mission is to award grants to K-12 teachers in Madison public schools for initiatives that energize the creative and academic lives of students but are above and beyond the school budget.

“We are so grateful for our ongoing partnership with UCNB,” says MEF Co-President Karen Shahidi.  “The bank has been a committed 5K sponsor for a decade and this generous annual grant of $5,000 reflects the company’s belief in supporting organizations that contribute to the strength of the community,“ Shahidi added. Annual pledges provide critical funding to further the innovation that is taking place in Madison classrooms through MEF grants.

Last year, MEF awarded more than $120,000 in grants across all five Madison public schools, impacting children from kindergarten to 12th grade.  Since its district-wide expansion in 2010, MEF has awarded over $340,000 to Madison’s five schools. 

"Supporting education is at the forefront of Union Center National Bank’s philanthropic goals," says Anthony C. Weagley, President & CEO, Union Center National Bank and Madison High School alumnus, Class of ‘79.  "We applaud the Madison Education Foundation’s mission and believe that through our annual grant we can have a tangible impact on the resources being made available to Madison school district students.”

“Support from area businesses truly makes a difference in terms of what the Foundation can accomplish each year,” says Shahidi.  “A financial commitment of $5,000 helps us meet the growing requests from Madison teachers who are working hard to challenge and inspire their students.”

Area businesses who would like to support the work of the Madison Education Foundation are invited to contact MEF Trustee and Chair of Corporate and Foundation Outreach Clare Sievers at sieversc@verizon.net.  More information about the Foundation and a complete list of grants may be found at www.mefnj.org.

Union Center National Bank

Union Center National Bank, trusted in New Jersey since 1923, takes pride in fulfilling its obligations to the many important organizations that contribute to the strength of the communities in which they serve.  Union Center has a distinguished history of supporting local 501C3 non-profit organizations whose missions support the arts, education, economic revitalization, feeding the hungry, and aiding the most vulnerable and at-risk populations, among others.. As of 9/1/2013 UCNB operates 16 Branches and Private Banking Centers located in Berkeley Heights, Boonton/Mountain Lakes, Englewood, Madison, Millburn/Vauxhall, Morristown, Oakland, Princeton, Saddle River, Springfield, Summit, and in five Union Township locations. UCNB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Center Bancorp, Inc. – publicly traded on NASDAQ:CNBC. For more information please visit www.ucnb.com or call 1.800.UN.CENTER.

Madison Education Foundation

The Madison Education Foundation (MEF) awards grants to K-12 teachers for initiatives that energize the creative and academic lives of students but are above and beyond the school budget. Since its inception in 2003, MEF has awarded more than $650,000 in grants.  MEF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations can be mailed to PO Box 1093 Madison NJ  07940 or submitted online. Visit www.mefnj.org or e-mail info@mefnj.org for more information.