Montecito Bank & Trust holds 30th annual Anniversary GrantsTM reception to honor nonprofits
March 17, 2022
Local nonprofit representatives joined Montecito Bank & Trust employees at the annual Anniversary Grants reception Thursday evening in honor of the Bank’s 47th anniversary.
Santa Barbara, CA — March 17, 2022 — Local nonprofit representatives joined Montecito Bank & Trust employees at the annual Anniversary Grants reception Thursday evening in honor of the Bank’s 47th anniversary. The Anniversary Grants program was started in 1993 by the Bank’s late founder, Michael Towbes, to celebrate Montecito Bank & Trust’s anniversary by giving back. He wanted bank associates to have a say in the direction of the Bank’s corporate giving and to celebrate the exceptional volunteer service they give back to Central Coast communities.
In recognition of the 30th annual Anniversary Grants Reception, the Bank awarded grants of $3,000 to each of the 10 local nonprofits instead of the traditional $2,000. The recipients were all hand-selected by Bank employees after they campaigned, rallied and voted for the organizations that mean so much to them. Recipients also received a short promotional video showcasing each organization’s extraordinary work. In addition, our friend Mark Whitehurst and The Voice Magazine have agreed to continue their generous donation of a ½ page ad about each organization that will run in The Voice Magazine for one week during the month they are spotlighted.
Janet Garufis, Chairman & CEO, said, “We always look forward to celebrating the Bank’s anniversary with this event, but this year is extra special as we are also celebrating 30 years of Anniversary Grants and getting together in-person again! Despite the continuing presence of a global pandemic, in 2021 our associates dedicated more than 5,400 hours serving on boards, teaching financial literacy and cybersecurity curriculums and volunteering with organizations throughout our community. I can think of no better way to honor our Bank’s anniversary than by recognizing our associates – the heart of our bank – and the organizations that mean so much to them. I am so proud of the work our teams do each and every day, and am grateful for the work this evening’s recipients continue to do throughout our communities.”
For the third year, the Jerry Parent Anniversary Grants Legacy Award was presented to an organization that made a significant and sustainable impact on a local community. The Bank is excited to celebrate the Alpha Resource Center as this year’s deserving recipient.
Please join the Bank in celebrating the 2022 Anniversary Grants Recipients:
- Alzheimer’s Association
- C.A.R.E.4Paws
- Channel Islands YMCA
- El Centro SB
- FLAMENCO Santa Barbara
- Free Clinic of Simi Valley
- kidSTREAM
- PATH (People Assisting the Homeless); Santa Barbara Chapter
- Santa Barbara Choral Society
- Zaca Center Preschool
To watch a video of each Anniversary Grant promotional video, visit montecito.bank/AnniversaryGrants.
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 47th anniversary on March 17, 2022 and operates 11 branch offices in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Solvang, Montecito, Carpinteria, Ventura, Camarillo and Westlake Village. Montecito Bank & Trust has a history of unwavering corporate philanthropy in the local communities it serves, annually donating over $1.5 million dollars and volunteering over 5,400 hours to nonprofit organizations in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. 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 23 Best Bank awards in the last 9 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 the fourth Best Bank to Work For in the United States (American Banker Magazine).
For more information, please contact
Megan Orloff, EVP/Chief Strategy Officer
(805) 564-0236 or [email protected]