As the grantmaking partner of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend , we are thrilled to share that a record-breaking total of $3,486,726 in contributions to Sonoma County non-profit organizations was distributed on March 31st from the resounding 2015 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend. Over 200 guests representing Sonoma County’s wine industry leadership, non-profit organizations, local dignitaries, and top donors celebrated the momentous contribution at a reception hosted and sponsored by Chateau St. Jean in Kenwood, California.
The figure includes $1,985,000 from the Fund the Future initiative to support children’s literacy programs, which was raised during the Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction last August. Beginning in 2013, the Fund the Future literacy initiative supports successful Sonoma County organizations focused upon childhood literacy and preparing kids to read. In addition, over $1,501,726 in Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Community Grants ranging from $2,000-$50,000 were awarded to 81 charitable groups located across Sonoma County.
Dan Goldfield of Dutton-Goldfield Winery and President of the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation stated, “It’s such a pleasure to be part of something larger than ourselves.” The purest sense of community was on display during the check presentation, where speakers spoke about taking action to care for people who are ill, teach children and work to preserve the beautiful and delicate environment of Sonoma County. The group of vintners and growers restated their goal of sustainability as it relates to the environment while on this day emphasizing the other side of sustainability, the human side of sustaining a community.
Kenneth Juhasz of Auteur Wines and President of the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation states, “The rise in leadership amongst our own is inspiring. The progress we’ve made the last few years is due to industry leaders and 2015 established new heights thanks to our Honorary Co-Chairs Jean-Charles Boisset of Buena Vista Winery and DeLoach Vineyards and Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane of Benovia Winery.”
To date, the event has invested more than $20,000,000 to help secure Sonoma County’s future through the work of important non-profit organizations.
Speaking of auctions, we encourage you to take advantage of an upcoming seminar with Kathy Kingston, author of the book “A Higher Bid: How to transform special event fundraising with strategic benefit auctions.” Ms. Kingston has successfully employed her strategies to support the growth of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, and will be sharing this information at a seminar on May 17th in Santa Rosa. Click here for more information.
Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Beneficiaries:
10,000 Degrees, 1Revolution, Action Network, Alliance Medical Center, American Association of University Women, Audubon Canyon Ranch, Becoming Independent, Bellevue Union School District, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, California Indian Museum & Cultural Center, Canine Companions for Independence, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, Centro Laboral De Graton, Ceres Community Project, Child Parent Institute, Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, Chop’s Teen Club, Committee On The Shelterless, Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County, Community Action Partnership, Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County, Community Support Network, Conservation Corps North Bay, Council on Aging Services for Seniors, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Sonoma County , Episcopal Senior Communities Foundation, Eye Music, Face to Face Sonoma County AIDS Network, Food For Thought, Forget Me Not Children’s Services, Friends in Sonoma Helping (F.I.S.H), Girls On The Run Sonoma County, Global Student Embassy, Greencare Homes and School, Hanna Boys Center, Healdsburg Center For The Arts, Healdsburg Education Foundation, Healdsburg Shared Ministries, H-Town Youth Theatre, Interfaith Shelter Network , Jewish Community Free Clinic, Josiah Rich Ministries, Kids Street Learning, Knights of Indulgence Theatre United States, La Luz Bilingual Center, Laguna De Santa Rosa Foundation, Landpaths, Loco Bloco, Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, Navy Seals Foundation, New Vision Santa Rosa Foundation, North Bay Children’s Center, Old Adobe Union School District, On The Move, Operation Access, Pediatric Dental Initiative of The North Coast (PDI), Pepperwood Foundation, Petaluma City Ballet , Petaluma City Schools, Petaluma People Services Center, Piner-Olivet Union School District, Redwood Empire Food Bank, Rohnert Park Kitchen Kut-Ups, Roseland School District, Rural California Broadcasting Corporation (KRCB), Russian Riverkeeper, Santa Rosa City Schools, Santa Rosa Symphony Association, Santa Rosa Tool Library, Social Advocates for Youth, Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma County Fair Foundation, Sonoma County Office of Education, Sonoma County Public Library Foundation, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, Sonoma County Safe and Sober Project Graduation, Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless, Sonoma Land Trust, Sonoma Overnight Support, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, Sonoma Valley Teen Services, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Sunny Hills Services, The Living Room Center, TLC Child and Family Services, Transcendence Theatre Company, United Way of the Wine Country, Verity, West County Community Services, West County Health Centers, West County Special Education and Student Services Consortium
