Not only did this new partnership directly impact the communities’ Tops serves, but it further enhanced Tops’ commitment to The Salvation Army and its Red Kettle Campaign. Bell ringers could be seen – and heard – in Tops vestibules across Western New York helping to raise an incredible $1,046,586.88 — a $40,000 increase over last year's campaign.

“Once again, we are amazed and blessed by the outpouring of support from our communities, helping those less fortunate. Thank you to Tops for your space to ring, all the volunteers who gave of their time to ring the bells, M&T for the leadership in the Gift of Warmth collection, and to the generous donors in our community for making this incredible donation possible,” said Major John Lock of The Salvation Army.

“For years, we have partnered with The Salvation Army on their Red Kettle holiday campaign in our stores, and now, in also continuing our support of the Gift of Warmth drive, we were proud to be able to further support our neighbors in need,” said Tops President, Ron Ferri. “The incredible generosity of our community has truly been remarkable. From donating winter essentials to The Gift of Warmth campaign to the outpouring of support for bell-ringing efforts, our customers and associates have once again demonstrated their unwavering commitment to helping others. On behalf of Tops Markets, I commend M&T Bank and The Salvation Army for their tremendous work together. We were incredibly proud to join the effort and bring this initiative into our stores.”

“With bitter cold and snow so common in our region, the Gift of Warmth provides critical winter essentials to people in our community who are experiencing clothing and shelter insecurities,” said Eric Feldstein, M&T Bank Western New York Regional President. “In collaborating with Tops Friendly Markets for the second year in a row, we were able to once again collect an incredible number of winter clothing items to ensure our neighbors are provided the essentials to be comfortable and safe all season long. We are grateful to every individual who participated in this most recent drive, and to Tops and The Salvation Army for their profoundly impactful partnership.”

The Gift of Warmth was created in 1985 when a small group of M&T Bank employees came together to encourage their colleagues to donate winter clothing items to The Salvation Army. As the years went on, this small group effort transformed into a community-wide campaign and has since collected 50,950 winter clothing items — all distributed by The Salvation Army to local families, children, and individuals. Through this second expanded Gift of Warmth campaign, M&T Bank and Tops Friendly Markets collaborated to inspire their employees, customers, and communities to get involved and help their neighbors stay warm this winter.

About Tops Friendly Markets Headquartered in Williamsville, NY, Tops Markets operates a robust network of 152 grocery stores spanning New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, including one franchise location. As one of Western New York’s largest employers, and with over 14,000 associates across its entire footprint, Tops is committed to delivering sustainably sourced, premium-quality products. Beyond retail, Tops is committed to the communities it serves through initiatives focused on hunger relief, health improvement, youth education, and environmental sustainability. Discover more at www.topsmarkets.com.

About The Salvation Army The Salvation Army helped nearly 24 million people in 2023 overcome poverty, addiction, and spiritual and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination in nearly every ZIP code. By providing food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment, and more, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at nearly 7,000 centers of operation around the country. For more information, visit salvationarmybuffalo.org.

About M&T Bank M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, provides banking products and services with a branch and ATM network spanning the eastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided in select markets in the U.S. and abroad by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank. For more information about M&T Bank, visit www.mtb.com.

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