{"id":23690,"date":"2025-12-02T11:08:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T19:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/?p=23690"},"modified":"2025-12-02T11:08:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T19:08:22","slug":"mbt-award-1-2-million-to-local-nonprofits-at-annual-community-dividends-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/mbt-award-1-2-million-to-local-nonprofits-at-annual-community-dividends-event\/","title":{"rendered":"MB&T Award $1.2 Million to Local Nonprofits at Annual Community Dividends Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was originally published on the Santa Barbara Independent from a press release by Montecito Bank & Trust.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara, CA \u2013 Montecito Bank & Trust kicked off the holiday season by celebrating its 23rd Annual Community Dividends awards luncheon on Monday November 24th<\/p>\n\n\n\n

. The pre-Thanksgiving event is a special, heartfelt thank you to the nonprofit organizations in our community, and a hallmark of the Bank\u2019s corporate philanthropy. The Bank has granted more than $24 million to over 300 nonprofit organizations since the program\u2019s inception in 2003. In 2025, the Bank\u2019s total investment in nonprofit giving, focused on supporting local organizations that serve low-to moderate-income individuals in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, will exceed $1.7 million, with $1.2 million awarded through Monday\u2019s event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

188 nonprofit leaders from across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties gathered at The Hilton Santa Barbara Beachside Resort with 68 Bank associates, the Bank\u2019s Executive Team, Board of Directors and Emeritus Director Pete Jordano for a networking hour, followed by a Thanksgiving-style lunch. MB&T associates have volunteered over 5,500 hours throughout 2025 with many of the nonprofits in attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janet Garufis, Chairman & CEO, welcomed everyone and expressed gratitude for the nonprofit leaders and their work to make our communities better,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou and your teams are resourceful problem solvers; often the first to see a need and step up to meet it. You respond to crises at hand, work to find long-term solutions and to help empower individuals and families so that they have the tools they need to not just survive but thrive. You feed the hungry, house the homeless and heal the hurting. You bring joy and healing to our communities through music, dance and performance. You educate us and help us reach our highest potential. You listen to your community, engaging with them to better understand their needs, collaborate with partners to be more effective in how those needs are met and advocate for changes to enhance the quality of life for all segments of our community. THANK YOU!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019 the Bank added the Michael Towbes Community Impact Dividend (MTCID) to Community Dividends to honor the legacy of founder, Michael Towbes, whose vision inspired the Bank\u2019s philanthropy. This annual dividend awards a share of at least $100,000 to one or more nonprofits that deliver critical and sustainable services to a large number of the most vulnerable in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. With the increasing need and an ever-changing funding landscape this year, the financial stability of many nonprofits is being challenged. Ms. Garufis shared that \u201cidentifying one pillar where the need was clearly greatest \u2013 food insecurity, mental wellness, housing and healthcare \u2013 proved to be an impossible task.\u201d Seeing opportunity in the work of two well-respected community foundations, the Bank elected to award each of these partner\u2019s emergency funds with $100,000, for a total of $200,000. Ms. Garufis noted that the decision \u201cdemonstrates MB&T\u2019s unwavering commitment to our ENTIRE community. Mike always hoped that our Philanthropy would \u201cmodel the way\u201d for others in the community. We believe this is one of those moments where MB&T can make a powerful statement about the urgent need for support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 Impact Dividend recipients are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Santa Barbara <\/strong>received $100,000 towards its Critical Needs Response Fund<\/strong>. The fund supports organizations that care for and safeguard the well-being of our community by providing them with critical grant funding to help them deliver essential services and strengthen their capacity to adapt to changing conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Comunit\u00e1ria do Condado de Ventura<\/strong> received $100,000 towards its Condado de Ventura<\/strong> Neighbors Support Fund. <\/strong>The fund provides urgent assistance to families and small business owners through trusted community partners. A special advisory committee of respected local leaders ensures transparent distribution of resources to address critical humanitarian needs, including food, transportation, rental assistance, shelter and other essential services<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guests were also treated to a surprise performance by the Music Academy of the West\u2019s (MAW) SING! program, a free after-school choral program that engages students primarily from Title I schools in Santa Barbara. MB&T is the presenting corporate sponsor of this program. Over 30 local school children eagerly took the stage to perform Shalom Chaverim<\/em>, a Hebrew Folk Song and Kuwa Furaha (Be Joy)<\/em>, by Jim Papoulis. A heartwarming moment, it was also a demonstration of the work organizations like MAW are doing each day to make the arts accessible for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the luncheon wrapped, Ms. Garufis announced that in honor of the Bank\u2019s 50th anniversary, five golden tickets, representing the five decades of Montecito Bank & Trust, were randomly placed in the Bank\u2019s 2025 Community Impact Report distributed to nonprofit attendees. The five nonprofits that found a golden ticket received an additional surprise $500 donation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2025 Community Dividends<\/strong>\u00ae <\/strong>Recipients<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd Story Associates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access Central Coast<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adelante Charter School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AHA! (Attitude. Harmony. Achievement.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alano Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alzheimer\u2019s Association, California Central Coast Chapter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Indian Health & Services<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Association of Fundraising Professionals, Santa Barbara\/Ventura Counties Chapter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atterdag at Home, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atterdag Village of Solvang<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bethania Tuesday Food Distribution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, Inc<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blind Fitness Inc<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clube de Rapazes e Raparigas de Greater Ventura<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys & Girls Club de Moorpark e Simi Valley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C.A.R.E.4Paws<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corpora\u00e7\u00e3o de Desenvolvimento Econ\u00f3mico de Cabrillo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California Avocado Festival, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California Missions Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California Nature Art Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California State University Channel Islands Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CALM<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comunidade de Apoio ao Cancro Valley\/Ventura\/Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carpinteria Children\u2019s ProjectCarpinteria Education Foundation, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carpinteria Skate Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casa Del Herrero<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families (Centros Casa Pacifica para Crian\u00e7as e Fam\u00edlias)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casa Serena, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Channel Islands YMCA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children\u2019s Creative Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children\u2019s Resource & Referral<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City Impact, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CommUnify<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community Counseling and Education Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community Environmental Council<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congregation B\u2019nai B\u2019rith<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Ventura County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crane Country Day School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dignity Moves<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al\u00edvio direto<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easy Lift Transportation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic Development Collaborative Ventura County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elings Park Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ensemble Theatre Company<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fielding Graduate University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food From The Heart<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partilha de Alimentos do Condado de Ventura<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friends of Fieldworkers, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friendship Adult Day Care Center, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friendship Manor Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ganna Walska Lotusland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls Incorporated of Carpinteria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goleta Education Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good Samaritan Shelter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grace Fisher Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County (Habitat para a Humanidade do Condado de Ventura)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearts Aligned Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HELP of Carpinteria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hillside<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trabalhadores da quinta<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Housing Opportunities Made Easier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immigrant Hope of Santa Barbara, CA Inc<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Storehouse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jewish Federation of Greater Santa BarbaraLaguna Blanca School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association (Associa\u00e7\u00e3o de Enfermeiras Visitantes do Livingston Memorial)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobero Theatre Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magoo\u2019s Shoes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Mansions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meals on Wheels Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mental Wellness Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Momentum WORK, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Moorpark College<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mothers\u2019 Helpers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Museu do Condado de Ventura<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music Academy of the West<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mystic Ocean Adventures<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Nacional de C\u00e3es de Busca em Cat\u00e1strofes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Beginnings Counseling Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old Mission Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old Mission Santa Ines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opera Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organic Soup Kitchen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outreach Alliance of Ventura County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pacific Pride Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parks and Recreation Community Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partners In Housing Solutions, Inc<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PathPoint<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peoples\u2019 Self-Help Housing Corporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pilgrim Terrace Cooperative Homes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planned Parenthood California Central Coast<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety Town of Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sansum Clinic<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Birth Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guardi\u00e3o do Canal de Santa B\u00e1rbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara County Education Office<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Culinary Experience<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Education Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Hillel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Historical Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Humane<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara International Film Festival<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Middle School<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Mission Archive-LibrarySanta Barbara Museum of Art<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Police Activities League<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Rescue Mission<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Symphony<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Waldorf Association<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Barbara Zoological Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Cruz Island Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Showers of Blessing Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solvang Friendship House<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solvang Senior Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solvang Theaterfest, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Vincent\u2019s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standing Together to End Sexual Assault<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State Street Ballet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storyteller<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stuart C Gildred Family YMCA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studio Channel Islands Art Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teacher\u2019s Fund<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Teddy Bear contra o cancro<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arc Foundation of Ventura County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cecilia Fund<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Foundation for Girsh Park<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Foundation For Santa Barbara City College<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marjorie Luke Theatre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Salvation Army of Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tina Hansen McEnroe & Paul V. McEnroe Reading and Language Arts Clinic at UCSB<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transition House<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Turning Point<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TV Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCSB Arts & Lectures<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCSB Economic Forecast Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United Way of Santa Barbara County, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United Way of Ventura County, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unity Shoppe, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veggie Rescue<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o do Ventura College<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ventura County Community Development Corporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Comunit\u00e1ria do Condado de Ventura<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ventura Housing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ventura Land Trust<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VNA Health FoundationWestmont College<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White Buffalo Land Trust<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wilderness Youth Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women\u2019s Economic Ventures (WEV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women\u2019s Fund of Santa Barbara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youth and Family Services YMCA: Noah\u2019s Anchorage Youth Crisis Center<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This article was originally published on the Santa Barbara Independent from a press release by Montecito Bank & Trust. Santa Barbara, CA \u2013 Montecito Bank & Trust kicked off the…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-coverage"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23690\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vccf.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}