Ascentia Wine Estates fights hunger

Ascentia Wine Estates, which owns and operates wineries from
Sonoma County to Washington State and the Snake River Valley in
Idaho, is challenging the wine industry to become leaders in hunger
relief in their communities.
Ascentia, which is headquartered in Healdsburg, launched its
campaign to help feed hungry people in October when it donated
$41,000 to the Redwood Empire Food Bank in Northern California,
Northwest Harvest in Washington, and The Idaho Foodbank.
The money was raised during a month-long discount program this
past summer that Ascentia offered its 250 employees, family and
friends. For every case of wine sold, Ascentia donated $5 to the
food banks.
Jim DeBonis, Ascentia CEO, said nearly 8,000 cases were sold.
With an additional $2,500 in personal contributions by donors, the
program raised $41,000.
“This was a very easy program to execute, and it demonstrated
how much of an impact you can have on your community by reaching
out to your colleagues and friends.”
DeBonis also said Ascentia wanted to make as local an impact as
possible.
“This program allowed us to do that,” he said. “Our employees
live in the towns we serve. We care about our customers, our
friends and neighbors and we are here to
help.”
The fund-raiser was so simple and seems so right that Ascentia
is urging others in the wine industry to participate
“There are a number of ways to give back to your community. We
found this is a very simple but effective way to address a very
serious problem in all of the places where we live and work,”
DeBonis said.
Ascentia staff began meeting with representatives of other
wineries to share their experience with the program and encourage
them to do the same.
For their part, operators of the food banks sharing in
Ascentia’s donation said the money has never been so desperately
needed.
David Goodman, Executive Director of the Redwood Empire Food
Bank in Sonoma County, said the money comes at a critical time and,
hopefully, sets an example for others to follow.
“The economic downturn has had a devastating impact on so many
lives,” he said. “The leadership, concern and generosity shown by
Ascentia and its staff show what it means to do more than business
in a community – rather they are part of our community.”
“If Ascentia’s vision is embraced by others, the wine industry
could do tremendous good here and the Northwest,” he said.
In Washington State, where Ascentia operates the Columbia and
Covey Run brands, Shelley Rotondo, Executive Director of Northwest
Harvest, said the request for food assistance in the Pacific
Northwest has been “record-breaking this year. More is being asked
of Northwest Harvest than ever before.”
“The gift from Ascentia will provide over 9,500 nutritious meals
to our neighbors in need,” Rotondo said.
The same expression of need and gratitude was voiced at The
Idaho Foodbank.
“This donation couldn’t be more perfectly timed,” said Karen
Vauk, President and CEO. “The Idaho Foodbank and our 200 partner
agencies across the state are seeing requests for food at record
levels.”
Founded in 2008, Ascentia Wine Estates, www.ascentiawineestates.com,
is an ultra-premium wine company that includes California’s,
Washington’s and Idaho’s first wineries. The portfolio contains
quality wines sourced from some of the world’s most prestigious
appellations, such as Napa Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander
Valley, Carneros, Washington’s Columbia Valley and Idaho’s Snake
River Valley. Labels include Atlas Peak, Buena Vista Carneros, Gary
Farrell Vineyards & Winery, Geyser Peak Winery, XYZin, Columbia
Winery, Covey Run, and Ste. Chapelle
The Redwood Empire Food Bank, www.refb.org, is the largest hunger
relief agency serving the north coast of California. In Sonoma
County, its primary service area, the REFB serves 70,000 low-income
people every month. It also provides food to pantries in Mendocino,
Lake, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.