1st Metropolitan Mortgage’s A Good Environment Makes a Good Home Coloring Contest as Part of its BrightGreen Mortgage Program

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As one of its efforts to increase environmental awareness at the community level, 1st Metropolitan Mortgage, a national mortgage originator, is sponsoring a coloring contest for children ages 3 to 10. The theme of the contest is “A Good Environment Makes a Good Home.” Twelve winners nationwide will receive a $500 government savings bond and be included in a BrightGreen Mortgage calendar for 2009.

Go to www.brightgreenmortgage.com to download an entry form. Entries for the contest can be made between December 12 and 17, 2008 by taking the form to a local branch or by mailing it to Coloring Contest, 1st Metropolitan Mortgage, 4720 Piedmont Row Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210. No purchase is necessary for entry.

“It is never too early to learn of the importance of preserving and protecting the environment,” said Daniel H. Jacobs, CEO of 1st Metropolitan. “There are so many ways to have a positive effect on the environment and we wanted to see through the creativity of young people, what they are thinking about the environment and promote green thinking among the youth of our nation.”

1st Metropolitan’s BrightGreen Mortgage program launched last month and has multiple facets including the coloring contest, planting trees and eco-friendly business practices to better accomplish the mission of the BrightGreen Mortgage, which is to provide consumers personalized service and a variety of loan products with great rates while acting in a more socially responsible manner. Best business practices of the program include paper elimination, recycling and the use of recycled materials whenever possible.

The coloring contest is limited to one entry per child, who must create the artwork. The entries will be judged for creativity in the following groups: 3-6 and 7-10. Six winners will be chosen from each group. Entry in the contest constitutes agreement by the parent or guardian for use of artwork, name and photograph of the child for publicity purposes. The winner’s parent or guardian must also sign a release at the time of award. Parents of participants are eligible to enter the Toyota Prius sweepstakes. Please ask local representatives for details or visit www.brightgreenmortgage.com.

About 1st Metropolitan Mortgage

1st Metropolitan Mortgage, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a national mortgage brokerage, is licensed in 50 states with approximately 250 branches nationwide. These MetroBranches are able to leverage 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry and economies of scale. This allows 1st Metropolitan to offer not only a broad range of loan products through its 150 lenders, but also the newest and most innovative loan products geared toward true financing solutions customized to each borrower’s individual needs.