PRESS RELEASE


Contact:    David J. O'Connor
            Chief Executive Officer
            New England Bancshares, Inc.
            (860) 253-5200

              NEW ENGLAND BANCSHARES, INC. ANNOUNCES CASH DIVIDEND

         Enfield,  Connecticut - August 11, 2008. New England  Bancshares,  Inc.
(Nasdaq GM: NEBS) announced today that the Company's Board of Directors declared
a cash dividend for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 of $0.04 per share. The cash
dividend  will be payable on  September  17, 2008 to  stockholders  of record on
August 29, 2008.

         New England Bancshares, Inc. is headquartered in Enfield,  Connecticut,
and operates  Enfield  Federal Savings and Loan  Association  with eight banking
centers  servicing  the  communities  of  Enfield,  Manchester,  Suffield,  East
Windsor,  Ellington and Windsor Locks and Valley Bank with four banking  centers
serving  the  communities  of  Bristol,  Terryville  and  Southington.  For more
information  regarding  Enfield  Federal's  products and services,  please visit
www.enfieldfederal.com and for more information regarding Valley Bank's products
and services, please visit www.valleybankct.com.