Nearly 200 Non-Profits to Divide a Share of $1-Million in a Special Dividends Luncheon
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. (KEYT) – Montecito Bank & Trust started off the Thanksgiving week with a contribution to 188 non-profits that will each share a portion of $1-million.
The philanthropic program is called Community Dividends that got its start back in 2003 by the late Michael Towbes the founder and CEO of the bank.
The 2025 funds were distributed at a special lunch at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. Each person enjoyed a full Thanksgiving meal while hearing about the program’s history and plans for the future.
Montecito Bank & Trust President and CEO Janet Garufis told the room of 300, “you listen to your community, engaging with them to better understand their needs. You collaborate with partners to be more effective and how those needs are met, you advocate for changes to enhance the quality of life for all segments of our community.”
Since the distribution began more than $23-million has gone to groups specializing in programs for arts, youth and education, social services, and medical and health services sectors.
Many of the representatives gathered prior to the lunch to share updates about their non-profits and some of the financial challenges they face either with a change in local donations or a drop in federal funds. In some cases the stories were dire and included program staff layoffs.
There was also be a special Michael Towbes Community Impact Dividend. That was founded in 2019 to continue the late CEO’s legacy beyond the original dividends goals by Towbes. It is an annual award of $100,000 to one or more non-profit organizations that deliver critical and sustainable services to a large number of the most vulnerable people in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. This year there were two winners.
They were given to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF).
In receiving the award VCCF President Vanessa Bechtel recalled a quote by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu which read, “do your little bit of good where you are.” They also have a Neighborhood Support Coalition that will be using the funds.
Santa Barbara Foundation President and CEO Jackie Carrera said there is a dire need to keep groups funded that are providing health care, aid for those who are facing food insecurity and in need of mental health resources. She re-emphasized the national concern about the shift in public funding which in many cases, is going down.
“We have a big job ahead of us with the number of applicants we are seeing that are experiencing those cuts and changes to those programs because of policy changes but we have a good team to make those decisions,” said Carrera.
One of the growing programs was featured when a choir of children performed for the luncheon.They were with the Music Academy of the West “Sing! ” after school program that serves 300 young singers.
Additionally, this year there were five recipients of a golden ticket worth $500. that they found inside the Montecito Bank & Trust annual report handed to each attendee. Those who received the surprise could keep it for their organization or pass it on to another non-profit in the room.
This years list of recipients are:
2nd Story AssociatesAccess Central CoastAdelante Charter SchoolAHA! (Attitude. Harmony. Achievement.)Alano Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.Alpha Resource Center of Santa BarbaraAlzheimer’s Association, California Central Coast ChapterAmerican Indian Health & ServicesAngels Foster Care of Santa BarbaraAssociation of Fundraising Professionals, Santa Barbara/Ventura Counties ChapterAtterdag at Home, Inc.Atterdag Village of SolvangBethania Tuesday Food DistributionBig Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, IncBlind Fitness IncBoys & Girls Club of CamarilloBoys & Girls Club of Greater VenturaBoys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley Inc.Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara, Inc.Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV)C.A.R.E.4PawsCabrillo Economic Development CorporationCalifornia Avocado Festival, Inc.California Missions FoundationCalifornia Nature Art MuseumCalifornia State University Channel Islands FoundationCALM
Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara
Carpinteria Children’s Project
Carpinteria Education Foundation, Inc.
Carpinteria Skate Foundation
Casa Del Herrero
Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families
Casa Serena, Inc.
Channel Islands YMCA
Children’s Creative Project
Children’s Resource & Referral
City Impact, Inc.
CommUnify
Community Counseling and Education Center
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
Dignity Moves
Direct Relief
Easy Lift Transportation
Economic Development Collaborative Ventura County
Elings Park Foundation
Ensemble Theatre Company
Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County
Fielding Graduate University
Food From The Heart
Food Share of Ventura County
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Friends of Fieldworkers, Inc.
Friendship Adult Day Care Center, Inc.
Friendship Manor Inc.
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara
Girls Incorporated of Carpinteria
Goleta Education Foundation
Good Samaritan Shelter
Grace Fisher 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.
House Farm Workers
Housing Opportunities Made Easier
Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, Inc.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County
Immigrant Hope of Santa Barbara, CA Inc
James Storehouse
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Laguna Blanca School
LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association
Lobero Theatre Foundation
Magoo’s Shoes
Many Mansions
Meals on Wheels Santa Barbara
Mental Wellness Center
Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project
Momentum WORK, Inc.
Moorpark College Foundation
Mothers’ Helpers
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
Museum of Ventura County
Music Academy of the West
Mystic Ocean Adventures
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
New Beginnings Counseling Center
Old Mission Santa Barbara
Old Mission Santa Ines
Opera Santa Barbara
Organic Soup Kitchen
Outreach Alliance of Ventura County
Pacific Pride Foundation
Parks and Recreation Community Foundation
Partners In Housing Solutions, Inc
PathPoint
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Corporation
Pilgrim Terrace Cooperative Homes
Planned Parenthood California Central Coast
Safety Town of Santa Barbara County
Sansum Clinic
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 Middle SchoolSanta Barbara Mission Archive-LibrarySanta Barbara Museum of ArtSanta Barbara Museum of Natural HistorySanta Barbara Police Activities LeagueSanta Barbara Public Library FoundationSanta Barbara Rescue MissionSanta Barbara SymphonySanta Barbara Trust for Historic PreservationSanta Barbara Waldorf AssociationSanta Barbara Zoological FoundationSanta Cruz Island FoundationSanta Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital FoundationSanta Ynez Valley People Helping People, Inc.Scholarship Foundation of Santa BarbaraShowers of Blessing Santa BarbaraSolvang Friendship HouseSolvang Senior CenterSolvang Theaterfest, Inc.St. Vincent’sStanding Together to End Sexual AssaultState Street BalletStorytellerStuart C Gildred Family YMCAStudents for Eco-Education & Agriculture, Inc.Studio Channel Islands Art CenterSurgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) InternationalTeacher’s FundTeddy Bear Cancer FoundationThe Arc Foundation of Ventura CountyThe Cecilia FundThe Foundation for Girsh ParkThe Foundation For Santa Barbara City CollegeThe Marjorie Luke TheatreThe Salvation Army of Santa BarbaraTina Hansen McEnroe & Paul V. McEnroe Reading and Language Arts Clinic at UCSBTransition HouseTurning Point FoundationTV Santa BarbaraUCSB Arts & LecturesUCSB Economic Forecast ProjectUnited Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara CountyUnited Way of Santa Barbara County, Inc.United Way of Ventura County, Inc.Unity Shoppe, Inc.Veggie RescueVentura College FoundationVentura County Community Development CorporationVentura County Community FoundationVentura County Medical Resource FoundationVentura HousingVentura Land TrustVNA Health Foundation
Westmont CollegeWhite Buffalo Land TrustWilderness Youth ProjectWomen’s Economic Ventures (WEV)Women’s Fund of Santa BarbaraYouth and Family Services YMCA: Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Center
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