On Wednesday evening, Montecito Bank & Trust celebrated its 48th anniversary the same way it has since 1993, by gathering with local nonprofit representatives at the annual Anniversary Grants reception.
The bank’s late founder Michael Towbes first started the Anniversary Grants program 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 bank awarded grants of $3,000 to each of the 10 local nonprofits. 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.
Janet Garufis, the bank’s chairman/CEO talked about the special place the Anniversary Grants holds in the bank’s corporate giving.
“While Anniversary Grants is smaller in scope compared to Community Dividends, what makes it so special is how it celebrates the organizations that mean so much to our associates,” she said.
“That very notion is what Mike so deeply cherished and looked forward to each year, learning about the organizations that our associates embraced, and hearing about programs he may not have been familiar with,” she said.
In 2020, the bank introduced the Jerry Parent Anniversary Grants Legacy Award to honor the decades-long 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 Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties as this year’s deserving recipient.
The ADL also received a $3,000 grant and promotional video and will be featured on a commemorative plaque in the Downtown Branch.
The 2023 Anniversary Grants Recipients are:
Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara
Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP)
California Lutheran University – Center for Nonprofit Leadership
Lompoc Theatre Project
Page Youth Center
Royal Theatre Production, Inc.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Solvang Senior Center
The Horse Project
Youth Empowered Sports Club
To watch a video of each Anniversary Grant promotional video, visit montecito.bank/AnniversaryGrants.