MontecitoBankTrust
For the last 22 years, Montecito Bank & Trust has hosted their annual Community Dividends awards luncheon on the Monday before Thanksgiving. This special tradition is a time to celebrate and recognize local nonprofit organizations and the work they do in our communities.
Throughout the program’s 22 years, the Bank has granted more than $23 million to more than 300 nonprofits. In 2024, the Bank’s total annual investment in nonprofit giving reached $1.6 million, with $1 million contributed through the Community Dividends program.
Focused primarily on supporting organizations and programs that serve low- and moderate-income individuals and families in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, Community Dividends are awarded to organizations that serve youth and education, social services, medical and health services and the arts.
As part of this valued annual tradition, 195 local nonprofit leaders from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties gathered with Bank associates on November 25, 2024, at The Hilton Santa Barbara Beachside Resort. Today’s nonprofit leaders were joined by the Bank’s board of directors and leadership team, in addition to 60 MB&T associates who volunteer over 5,500 hours each year, with many of the nonprofits in attendance.
After a networking hour, Chairman & CEO, Janet Garufis, welcomed the nonprofit leaders and expressed gratitude for the difference they make each day across the Central Coast communities. Garufis began by sharing that November 1, 2024 marked her 20th year with the Bank.
“The first Bank event I ever attended, three weeks after I started, was Community Dividends – the magic I felt in that room confirmed that I made the right decision in coming to MB&T and it is the same feeling I have as I stand before you today. I am forever grateful to our founder and my friend, Michael Towbes, for providing me this opportunity to partner with him to build and carry forward what I believe is the best community bank on the Central Coast!” said Garufis.
In 2019, the Bank expanded its Community Dividends program by launching the Michael Towbes Community Impact Dividend (MTCID) to honor the impactful legacy of its founder, Michael Towbes, whose vision inspired and continues shape the Bank’s philanthropic programs. The MTCID awards one or more nonprofit a share of $100,000 to deliver critical and sustainable services to a large number of the most vulnerable in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Since its inception, the MTCID has invested a total of $1,125,000 to 17 organizations – including the two organizations who each received $50,000 at this year’s event.
Regarding the choice of recipients, Ms. Garufis shared “At the Bank, we look for areas most in need in our communities and shift our giving to assist those areas. This year we have seen a need for transitional-age youth support. For the youth aging out of the foster system, there is a gap in support which can make the transition overwhelming and isolating. This year’s Impact Dividend recipients strive to fill that gap and provide a safe, supported space for the youth as they transition out of the foster system.”
The 2024 Impact Dividend recipients are below:
- Casa Pacifica Center for Children & Families received $50,000 to help expand two highdemand programs – Outpatient Therapy and Enhanced Care Management – to make mental health and medical services accessible to even more 18–25-year-olds; many who are former foster youth, on probation, homeless or at-risk for homelessness.
- Youth and Family Services YMCA, Noah’s Anchorage received $50,000 to help open their Transitional Housing Placement Program and become operational. This standalone home in downtown Santa Barbara will provide housing, supportive services and counseling to nine youths at a time. Upon exiting the program, participants will have stable housing, a job and have made educational progress
A list of all 195 nonprofit organizations that received Montecito Bank & Trust Community Dividends is below.
2024 Community Dividends Recipients
2nd Story Associates
Adelante Charter School
AHA! (Attitude. Harmony. Achievement.)
Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara
Alzheimer’s Association, California Central Coast Chapter
American Indian Health & Services
Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara
Assistance League of Ventura County
Atterdag at Home, Inc.
Atterdag Village of Solvang
Bethania Tuesday Food Distribution
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, Inc.
Blind Fitness, Inc.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura
Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley, Inc.
Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme
C.A.R.E.4Paws
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation
California Lutheran University
California Missions Foundation
California State University Channel Islands Foundation
California State University, Northridge Foundation
CALM
Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara
Carpinteria Children’s Project
Carpinteria Education Foundation, Inc.
Casa Del Herrero
Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families
Casa Serena, Inc.
Central Coast Rescue Mission
Channel Islands YMCA
Children’s Resource & Referral
City Impact, Inc.
CommUnify
Community Conscience / Under One Roof
Community Environmental Council
Congregation B’nai B’rith
Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Ventura County
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Barbara County
Crane Country Day School
DignityMoves
Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County
Dream Foundation
Easy Lift Transportation
Elings Park Foundation
Elverhoj Museum of History & Art
Ensemble Theatre Company
Environmental Defense Center
Explore Ecology
Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County
Fielding Graduate University
Food From The Heart
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Foundation for Santa Barbara High School
Fr. Virgil Cordano Center
Freedom 4 Youth
Friends of Fieldworkers, Inc.
Friends of the Carpinteria Public Library / Artesania Para La Familia
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara
Gold Coast Veterans Foundation
Goleta Education Foundation
Gwendolyn Strong Foundation
Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County
Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County
Hearts Aligned Inc.
Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center
HELP of Carpinteria
Hillside
Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc.
Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura
Housing Opportunities Made Easier
Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, Inc.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County
Independent Living Resource Center, Inc.
James Storehouse
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Laguna Blanca School
LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Lighthouse for Women and Children
Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association
Lobero Theatre Foundation
Lompoc Theatre Project
Magoo’s Shoes
Make-A-Wish Central Coast and Southern Central Valley
Many Mansions
Mental Health Association of Santa Barbara County
Mission Scholars
Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project
Momentum WORK, Inc.
Montecito Trails Foundation
Moorpark College Foundation
Mothers’ Helpers
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
Museum of Ventura County
Music Academy of the West
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
New Beginnings Counseling Center
New Directions for People with Disabilities, Inc.
Ojai Music Festival
Old Mission Santa Barbara
Old Mission Santa Ines
Opera Santa Barbara
Orcutt Area Seniors in Service, Inc.
Organic Soup Kitchen
Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC)
Pacific Pride Foundation
Page Youth Center
Partners In Housing Solutions, Inc.
PathPoint
PCPA – Pacific Conservatory Theatre
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Corporation
Planned Parenthood California Central Coast
Ride On LA
Sansum Clinic
Sansum Diabetes Research Institute
Santa Barbara Birth Center
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Inc.
Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation
Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation
Santa Barbara County Education Office
Santa Barbara Culinary Experience
Santa Barbara Education Foundation
Santa Barbara Foundation
Santa Barbara Hillel
Santa Barbara Historical Museum
Santa Barbara Humane
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Santa Barbara Meals on Wheels, Inc.
Santa Barbara Middle School
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Santa Barbara Partners in Education
Santa Barbara Police Activities League
Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation
Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
Santa Barbara Symphony
Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
Santa Barbara Waldorf Association
Santa Barbara Zoological Foundation
Santa Cruz Island Foundation
Santa Maria Valley YMCA
Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People, Inc.
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara
Sea League
Showers of Blessing
Solvang Friendship House
Solvang Senior Center
Solvang Theaterfest, Inc.
St. Vincent’s
Standing Together to End Sexual Assault
State Street Ballet
Storyteller Children’s Center
Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture, Inc.
Studio Channel Islands Art Center
Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International
Teacher’s Fund
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
The Arc Foundation of Ventura County
The Cecilia Fund
The Foundation for Girsh Park
The Foundation For Santa Barbara City College
The Grace Fisher Foundation
The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center
The Marjorie Luke Theatre
The Oxnard College Foundation
The Rona Barrett Foundation
The Salvation Army of Santa Barbara
Tina Hansen McEnroe & Paul V. McEnroe Reading and Language Arts Clinic at UCSB
Transition House
Turning Point Foundation
UCSB Arts & Lectures
United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County
United Way of Santa Barbara County, Inc.
United Way of Ventura County, Inc.
Unity Shoppe, Inc.
Veggie Rescue
Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation
Ventura Land Trust
VNA Health Foundation
Westmont College
Wilderness Youth Project
Women’s Economic Ventures
Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara
Youth and Family Services YMCA: Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Center
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 49th anniversary on March 17, 2024, 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 30 Best Bank awards in the last 12 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).
