ENGELHARD, N.C., Nov 09, 2009 (Wall Street Journal Digital Network / BUSINESS WIRE / Market Watch) -- ECB recently announced a Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) community development investment of $250,000 in support of a Veterans' Initiative through the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation (SHCPF). By doing so, ECB becomes the first bank in North Carolina to pledge a commitment to the foundation. SHCPF ensures that 40,000 Veterans living in 160 State Veteran Nursing Homes in the U.S. are able to live out their lives in safe, secure, and enhanced quality-of-life environments free from the daily fear of crime, abuse, neglect, hostility and deprivation of personal freedom, as provided through SHCPF's Senior Crimestoppers program.

"The Board of Directors and employees of ECB are thrilled and certainly honored to be a part of such a tremendous and well respected organization as SHCPF," stated A. Dwight Utz, president and CEO with ECB. "Our participation helps protect our elderly veterans who so valiantly served our great country. ECB's geographical footprint serves a large contingent of military families and veterans and we believe it's a worthy and noble mission to support our veterans."

ECB joins with the American Bankers Association (ABA), and the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA), on this worthy endeavor. The Senior Crimestoppers program is a proprietary operation of the SHCPF, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which was established to provide a vehicle for banks to earn CRA credit through support of nursing home residents, who are classified as low-to-moderate income individuals. Senior Crimestoppers is built on a zero tolerance-to-crime platform that is vigilantly maintained for the residents, staff, management and visitors.

For more information on the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation (SHCPF) visit their website at www.SHCPFoundation.org.

About ECB Bancorp, Inc.- ECB Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Engelhard, North Carolina, whose wholly-owned subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank, is a state-chartered, independent community bank insured by the FDIC. The Bank provides a full range of financial services through its 24 offices covering eastern North Carolina from Currituck to Ocean Isle Beach and Greenville to Hatteras. The Bank also provides mortgages, insurance services through the Bank's licensed agents, and investment and brokerage services offered through a third-party broker-dealer. The Company's common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "ECBE". More information can be obtained by visiting ECB's web site at www.ecbbancorp.com.