SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwire - Feb 29, 2012) - American River Bank (NASDAQ: [ AMRB ]), a community bank serving the Greater Sacramento Area and Counties of Placer, Sonoma and Amador, today announced that the 115 employees of American River Bank, Bank of Amador and North Coast Bank spent a grand total of 1,765 hours in support of 56 different local organizations in 2011.The announcement comes accompanied by the release of their 2011/2012 Community Report highlighting the community activity of its employees.

The Community Report details the employees' volunteer efforts and the Company's community giving programs for 2011. Some of the highlights of the report include:

• In 2011, American River Bankshares Foundation awarded 7 local organizations with $55,000 worth of Grants and 30 organizations with $425,000 since 2005
• Since 1988, over $465,000 has been raised by the Bill Young Memorial Golf Classic
• Team Bank$trong Raised $19,000 to Find a Cure for Cancer
• Our Employee Volunteer Program allows 40 hours of Paid Volunteer Time Per Year for each employee

"The Community Report is a great showcase of our Company and our employees," said David Taber, President and CEO of American River Bank. "Our employees in their volunteer efforts have supported our community programs full heartedly with both their valuable time and money."

Taber continued, "The smiling faces that fill the pages of the Community Report are a testament to the warm, loving and generous hearts that everyone in our Company possesses."

To view the 2011/2012 Community Report, visit [ http://www.amrb.com/financial_reports ]. If you would like to support any of the Community Giving Programs found in the Community Report, visit [ www.amrb.com ] for more information.

About American River Bank

American River Bank is a community business bank serving the greater Sacramento area since 1983. The Bank offers a full menu of financial solutions to meet the deposit and lending needs of individuals and businesses. American River Bank, a division of American River Bankshares (NASDAQ: [ AMRB ]) operates a family of financial services providers, including North Coast Bank in Sonoma County and Bank of Amador in Amador County. For more information, please call 916-565-6100 or visit [ www.americanriverbank.com ]; [ www.amrb.com ]; [ www.northcoastbank.com ] or [ www.bankofamador.com ]