CLAYTON, Mo. – In the heart of Clayton Thursday night, M1 Bank celebrated the grand opening of its national headquarters with a unique event centered on mission, purpose, and community outreach. 

The evening focused on giving back. As the guests explored the state-of-the-art building, they visited the Giving Grove, an interactive space where donations to local and international charities are encouraged.

Organizations like the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, and five others are highlighted as recipients and given an opportunity to impact lives.

“Our new project is possibly getting a new building downtown—the Old Jefferson Bank, if we can—for his new Dred Scott International Center,” Lynne Jackson, great-great granddaughter of Dred Scott, said.

The bank’s commitment to the community doesn’t stop there. The attached, free event space for charitable organizations will serve as a focal point for collaborations and community events.

“Here at 7 North Bemiston, we created a non-profit event space. Right here in the heart of Clayton, that any charity can use free of cost. Our heart behind this was to maximize their giving,” Stephanie Bahn-Poteet, M1 Bank’s director of community outreach and giving, said.

To cap off the evening, Ferguson native Brian Owens premiered his latest film, which chronicles the inspiring journey of M1 Bank’s CEO and his wife, showing how faith and dedication led them from starting the bank in 2017 to Thursday’s grand opening.

“On the local level, we support non-profits, and on a national level, we support community solar developments and affordable housing,” CEO & Founder of M1 Bank Kenneth E. Poteet said.

With three locations and growing, M1 Bank’s first brick-and-mortar headquarters is more than just a bank—it’s a beacon of community empowerment, standing tall with a mission that stretches across 35 states.