MontecitoBankTrust
On Wednesday evening, March 13, 2024, Montecito Bank & Trust celebrated its 49th anniversary by gathering with 11 local nonprofit representatives at the Bank’s annual Anniversary Grants reception.
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 employees to have a voice in the direction of the Bank’s corporate giving and to celebrate the exceptional volunteer service they give back to Central Coast communities.
The recipients were all hand-selected by Bank employees after they campaigned, rallied and voted for the organizations that make an impact in their lives and communities. Each recipient was awarded a $3,000 grant and received a short promotional video showcasing each organization’s extraordinary work.
Chairman & CEO Janet Garufis shared “It is an honor to carry on this tradition each year and to witness the enthusiasm our associates have for the organizations they support. Our associates’ dedication to their communities and desire to make an impact where they live is not only inspiring, but it is also exactly what Michael Towbes hoped would continue through the Anniversary Grants program. And, aligning with our expansion into Santa Maria and Oxnard, it was exciting to see that the majority of this year’s recipients serve communities in North Santa Barbara County and Ventura County!”
Five years ago, the Bank introduced the Jerry Parent Anniversary Grants Legacy Award to honor the decades-long selfless community contributions of one of the Bank’s founders and long-time Board Director, Jerry Parent. The award is presented to an organization that makes a significant and sustainable impact on a local community. The organization is nominated by a Bank associate and selected by a committee with the input of Mr. Parent.
The 5th recipient of the Legacy Award is Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara for the incredible work that they do to ensure that low-income and other vulnerable residents in Santa Barbara County have equal access to legal services. Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara also received a $3,000 grant and promotional video. They will be featured on a commemorative plaque in the Downtown Branch.
Please join the Bank in celebrating the 2024 Anniversary Grants Recipients:
AHA!
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Conejo Valley
Coalition For Family Harmony
Dignity Moves
Family Service Agency
Mosaic Therapy Collective
Neal Taylor Nature Center
Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (S.P.A.R.C.)
SYV Humane Society | Dog Adoption & Welfare Group (DAWG)
Ventura County Leadership Academy
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 will celebrate its 49th anniversary on March 17, 2024, and operates 13 full-service branch offices and 3 retirement community locations, 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 27 Best Bank awards in the last 11 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).
