The 64th annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair showcased eight days of exhibits, food and live entertainment in August, but when it was all over, the $278 million Mid-Atlantic Federal Credit Union in Germantown, Md., came home with a 1,029-pound steer.

No bull.

The fair, which averages 250,000 fairgoers a year according to organizers, is the largest county fair in Maryland, the credit union said.

Mid-Atlantic FCU, a sponsor of the fair, purchased the steer at the 4-H livestock sale on Aug. 16. The locally raised steer will help feed close to 1,000 Montgomery County residents in need of a nourishing meal, the credit union said in a release. The Manna Food Center is the beneficiary of the unusual gift.

“As a community-based credit union, supporting our neighbors is part of our mission, not just lip service,” said Marc Wilensky, vice president of marketing. “We are continuously looking for new and creative ways to positively impact our local community.

“Because of our purchase and donation of a locally grown steer to the Manna Food Center, we will be able to help more of our neighbors in need receive the nourishment they need for survival and well-being,” Wilensky said. “This approach also allows us to support the local teens from Montgomery County's 4-H who work hard to raise healthy and nutritious livestock.”

In addition to this donation, MAFCU continues to volunteer at and collect food for Manna Food Center throughout the year.

“The recent donation by MAFCU to Manna Food Center is impressive because of the quantity of food but also, more importantly, because of the quality,” said Jenna Umbriac, Manna Food Center's director of nutrition programs.

“It is our goal at Manna to not just feed people but to truly nourish our neighbors in need by emphasizing farm fresh produce and less processed non-perishable goods. A donation of county-grown and consciously raised beef allows us to fulfill this mission by providing a high-quality protein source for nearly 400 Montgomery County families,” Umbriac said in the credit union's announcement.

Instant Insights /

Mid-Atlantic FCU Purchases Steer at County Fair

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