Independent Banker - January 2018 - 15

funds are occasionally pre-gifted
these days to allow the nonprofits to
realize specific projects and goals.
The pre-lunch reception is also a bit
longer to allow more time for nonprofit
leaders to connect with each
other. Many of the recipients change
from year to year, but a few standouts
have received an annual gift since the
program's inception.
" [The repeat recipients] really are
the iconic ones in the community,
the ones who are doing mostly
health and welfare, serving low- to
moderate-income families, " Garufis
says. " Really, our primary mission
is serving the needs of the low- to
moderate-income members of our
community, education for children
and support of the arts. "
Real-world impact
Ernesto Paredes, executive director of
local nonprofit Easy Lift Transportation,
says Montecito Bank's donation
has allowed Easy Lift to partner with
University of California, Santa Barbara's
work-study program in hiring and
training students to provide free local
transportation to frail seniors and
people living with disabilities, maintaining
their access to health care and
nutrition. " Montecito Bank & Trust's
Community Dividends is one of the
most special gestures any business
partner can offer, " Paredes says.
Alana Walczak, CEO of Child Abuse
Listening Mediation, Inc. (CALM),
notes that Community Dividends
donations have funded both core support
for and specific programs within
the nonprofit, which works to prevent
childhood trauma, heal children and
families, and build resilient communities
in Santa Barbara County.
" Community Dividends allows us
to help children like 5-year-old Carla,
currently enrolled in parent-child
interaction therapy with her mother,
and 9-year-old Jeremy, who attends
our weekly domestic violence group
counseling sessions, " Walczak says.
The bank has also begun leading
a training session prior to the lunch
on a topic of interest to nonprofits.
In 2016, it covered cybersecurity risk
mitigation. In 2017, it invited a panel
of four significant corporate donors to
share insights on effective approaches
for corporate fundraising.
In addition to bolstering nonprofits'
efforts, Community Dividends has
strengthened the community bank's
resolve to support those efforts, right
down to the people it hires.
" We have really begun now to hire
for fit, " says Garufis. " It's important
that the people that we hire think as
we do, that they have a shared sense
of belonging to the community.
" Our whole culture is really built
around this idea of being part of and
giving back to the community. "
Last year's Thanksgiving event was
the first without Towbes, who passed
away in April 2017. Garufis is honored
to be a part of carrying forward his
legacy of generosity. All together, she
estimates Montecito Bank & Trust
employees spend about 2,500 hours a
year volunteering.
" Our bank was founded on the idea
of giving back, " Garufis says. " When
I took over responsibility as president
of the bank 11 years ago, I built
intentionally with my team a culture
around that idea.
" We also support our associates
in giving time back to communities
in ways that they want to, " she
adds. " We don't pick it for them. We
encourage our people to sit on boards
or volunteer. The associates will tell
you what's important to them, and if
it's important to them, then it should
be important to the bank as well. "
Andrea Lahouze is deputy editor of
Independent Banker.
Gathered together-One
hundred community nonprofits attended
Montecito Bank & Trust's Community
Dividends luncheon at Four Seasons
Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara on
Nov. 20, 2017.
independentbanker.org ICBA Independent Banker 15
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - January 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - January 2018
