Annual Anniversary Grants® Reception Celebrates Local Nonprofits

March 18, 2026

Santa Barbara, CA — March 18, 2026 — The long-standing tradition of celebrating Montecito Bank & Trust’s (MB&T) anniversary by honoring local nonprofits selected by the Bank’s more than 260 associates continued Wednesday evening, where more than 110 attendees gathered for a reception in the Bank’s historic downtown branch. The Bank’s late founder, Michael Towbes, first started the Anniversary Grants program in 1993 to honor Montecito Bank & Trust’s anniversary by giving back to the community. He wanted bank associates to have a voice in the direction of the Bank’s corporate giving and to celebrate the exceptional volunteer service they provide to Central Coast communities.

The annual program is a source of pride among the Bank’s associates, as they campaign, rally and vote for the organizations that make an impact on their lives and communities. In addition to receiving a $3,000 check, each Anniversary Grant recipient also received a 1-minute locally produced promotional video showcasing the organization’s extraordinary work and the Bank provides additional promotion of each organization in the branches and on social media throughout the year.

Chairman & CEO Janet Garufis welcomed the community-minded audience commenting that the evening’s event “provides the opportunity to celebrate where we are today, remember what has brought us here and recognize the good work that is happening across our communities everyday thanks to dedicated nonprofit organizations like those here this evening.” After MB&T associates introduced each organization, Ms. Garufis smiled as she highlighted that “there seems to be a trend each year of furry friends, helping improve the health and well-being of individuals and nurturing babies and kids!” As the celebration drew to a close, Mr. Garufis thanked the deserving organizations and asserted “There will be many more of these anniversaries and celebrations. On behalf of our associates and our Board of Directors, thank you for joining us in our commitment to make the communities we serve better places to live and work. We know that we would not be able to do what we do without each of you and the inspiring work you do!”

The Jerry Parent Anniversary Grants Legacy Award was added to this program in 2021 to honor the decades-long selfless community contributions of long-time Board Director, Jerry Parent. Presented to an organization that makes a significant and sustainable impact on a local community the awarded organization is nominated by a Bank associate and selected by a committee with the input of Mr. Parent. The 7th recipient of the Legacy Award is Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, whose mission is to provide compassionate, affordable and responsive healthcare to all. Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics also received a $3,000 grant and a promotional video. They will be featured on a commemorative plaque in the Downtown Branch.

Please join the Bank in celebrating their 51st anniversary and in recognizing the 2026 Anniversary Grants recipients:

Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara

ASAP Cats

Bethania Preschool and After School Program

Breast Cancer Resource Center

Bunny Brigade

Cottage Children’s Medical Center

Cruzin’ For Life

Grace Fisher Foundation

Royal Theater Production

Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA)

To watch a video of each Anniversary Grant promotional video, visit Montecito Bank & Trust - Anniversary Grants®.

Montecito Bank & Trust is the oldest and largest locally owned community bank in the Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Founded in 1975, the bank celebrated its 51st anniversary on March 17, 2026, and operates 13 branch offices in Santa Maria, Solvang, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo and Westlake Village. Montecito Bank & Trust has a history of unwavering corporate philanthropy in the local communities it serves. The Bank offers a variety of competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and consumers, including business loans and lines of credit; commercial real estate finance; SBA loans; mortgage loans, consumer loans; credit cards; merchant services; and online services, including mobile banking and cash management. Its Wealth Management Division provides comprehensive trust services and full investment management for all branch office markets. The Bank has earned 33 Best Bank awards in the last 13 years, in addition to numerous accolades for Best Mortgage and Best Financial Services Company in Santa Barbara, Best Investment Company in Santa Ynez Valley and third in the 2026 America’s Best Workplaces ranking by Best Companies Group.

For more information, please contact

Megan Orloff, EVP, Chief Strategy Officer

(805) 564-0236 or [email protected]