Montecito Bank & Trust shared the wealth with local nonprofit organizations at its annual Community Dividends luncheon Monday afternoon.
The annual event, celebrating its 11th year, is the biggest part of the bank’s corporate philanthropy, and this year it gave out $1 million to 164 organizations in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
“Banking isn’t about money, it’s about people,” board chairman Michael Towbes said.
He added that with the economic hardship of the recession, helping out nonprofit organizations is just as important as when the program started.
“This truly is my favorite event,” Towbes said in a statement. “Looking back over the years, and the hundreds of nonprofits we have been honored to support, I am always reminded that it’s because of them — and the important work they do — that I was inspired to begin the Community Dividends awards. Our goal through the Community Dividends, as well as our overall philosophy of giving back to the community, is to make the communities we serve better places to live and work.”
Bank President/CEO Janet Garufis thanked Towbes for his “limitless generosity” and said the best way to encourage philanthropy is to model the way, which Montecito Bank & Trust does through its donations and many volunteer efforts by its employees.
“Corporate philanthropy really begins with a personal commitment from the boss,” she said. “Equally important is engaging your entire team and encouraging volunteerism. Mr. Towbes has instilled in all of us at the bank the desire to support our community and make it a better place.”
2013 Community Dividends Recipient Organizations
Adventures in Caring Foundation
Alano Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.
Alzheimer’s Association, California Central Chapter
American Cancer Society, Inc., California Division
American Heart Association, Central Coast Division
Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara
Anti-Defamation League
Arthritis Foundation
Atterdag Village of Solvang
Bishop Garcia Diego High School
Boxtales Theatre Company
Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark
Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley
Boys & Girls Clubs of Ventura
Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara
Buellton Senior Center
California Lutheran University
California State University Channel Islands Foundation
Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara
Carpinteria Education Foundation, Inc.
Casa Esperanza Homeless Center
Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families
Casa Serena, Inc.
Center Stage Theatre
Child Abuse Listening Mediation, Inc.
Children’s Museum of Santa Barbara
Coastal Housing Coalition
Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara, Inc.
Community Conscience / Under One Roof
Community Environmental Council, Inc.
Community Memorial Health System
Conejo Valley Senior Concerns, Inc.
Congregation B’nai B’rith
Cornerstone House of Santa Barbara
Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Barbara County
Crane Country Day School
Direct Relief
Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County
Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy Foundation
Dream Foundation
Easy Lift Transportation, Inc.
El Concilio Family Services
Elings Park Foundation
Elverhoj Museum of History & Art
Ensemble Theater Company of Santa Barbara
Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara
Fielding Graduate University
Food from the Heart
FOOD Share
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Foundation for Santa Barbara High School
Friends of the Carpinteria Library
Friends of the Library of the Santa Ynez Valley, Inc.
Friendship Manor
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Garden Court, Inc.
Gay & Lesbian Business Association
Girls Incorporated of Carpinteria
Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation
Goleta Valley Historical Society
Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County
Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County
HELP of Carpinteria
Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc.
Hospice of the Conejo
Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, Inc.
Isla Vista Youth Projects, Inc.
Jessie Hopkins Hinchee Foundation
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Just Communities Central Coast
Kids Helping Kids
La Casa de Maria Retreat & Conference Center
Laguna Blanca School
Laguna Cottages for Seniors
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Lobero Theatre Foundation
Manna Conejo Valley Food Distribution Center, Inc.
Marjorie Luke Theatre
Mental Wellness Center
Museum of Ventura County
Music Academy of the West
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Notes for Notes
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc.
Pacific Pride Foundation, Inc.
Page Youth Center
Parks and Recreation Community Foundation
Partners in Education
PathPoint
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Corporation
Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc.
San Marcos High School
San Marcos Parent Child Workshop
Sansum Clinic
Sansum Diabetes Research Institute
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Inc.
Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation
Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.
Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation
Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society
Santa Barbara Dance Alliance
Santa Barbara Education Foundation
Santa Barbara Family Care Center
Santa Barbara Foundation
Santa Barbara Historical Museum
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 Performing Arts League
Santa Barbara Police Activities League
Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center
Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
Santa Barbara Symphony
Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
Santa Barbara Zoological Foundation
Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation
Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People, Inc.
Sarah House
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara
Solvang Friendship House
Solvang Senior Center
Special Olympics Santa Barbara
Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation
St. John’s Healthcare Foundation
St. Vincent’s
State Street Ballet
Storyteller Children’s Center
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College
The Howard School
The Little Cottage
Tradart Foundation
Transition House
Turning Point Foundation
UCSB Arts & Lectures
United Boys & Girls Club of Carpinteria
United Boys & Girls Club of Goleta
United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara Westside Club
United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County
United Way of Santa Barbara County
United Way of Ventura County
Unity Shoppe, Inc.
Valley Haven, Inc.
Ventura County Community Foundation
Ventura County Housing Trust Fund
Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation
Ventura Music Festival
Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara
Westmont College
Wilderness Youth Project
Wildling Art Museum
Women’s Economic Ventures
YMCA Youth and Family Services: Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter
YMCA: Stuart C. Gildred Family Santa Ynez
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.