Our Story
In the early 1990s, M&T Bank Chairman Robert Wilmers asked a bold question: What if a business adopted a struggling school — could it make a difference?
That question became action in 1993, when M&T partnered with Buffalo Public School 68, one of the city’s lowest-performing schools at the time. With a fresh perspective and long-term investment, the school was reimagined as Westminster Community Charter School.
Nearly two decades later, that commitment expanded into a broader vision with the launch of Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (BPN) in 2012 — a nonprofit subsidiary focused on cradle-to-career support for students and families in the 14215 zip code and beyond.
The US Department of Education in Fiscal Year 2011 awarded Buffalo Promise Neighborhood a $6 million grant over the span of five years which M&T Bank generously agreed to match. An additional $4 million in funding from 2013-2021 was received from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private national philanthropy that works to create better futures for children by strengthening families, building economic opportunities and transforming neighborhoods into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow.
Through 2024, Buffalo Promise Neighborhood has leveraged over $66 million of investments. Buffalo Promise Neighborhood currently operates the $3.5 million Children’s Academy site adjacent to Westminster Community Charter School.
Today, BPN supports Westminster and the Children’s Academy — all with a shared mission: to create a cradle-to-career pipeline of support for students and families. We also remain deeply invested in supporting Highgate Heights Elementary School through collaborative initiatives and resource sharing. Our work with dedicated partners such as Independent Health and the University at Buffalo provides essential resources to our families such as health screenings, nutritious food, and access to athletic development.
From early childhood education to after-school programs and family services, BPN is building a future where every child has the tools to succeed.
Strong students make a strong school.
- Our promise shows that we believe in children and families, helping them achieve a bright future filled with opportunity.
- By aligning teachers, administration, parents and the community, our schools meet the individual needs of each student while creating a culture of learning and achievement.
- We care for the needs of the whole child – beyond the classroom and into the community.
