Corporate sponsorship, community involvement and educational excellence are all important charitable concerns at Southern Wine & Spirits of New York, according to Larry Goodrich, Executive Vice President, General Manager of Southern Wine & Spirits of Delaware, which is a division of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., the country’s leading wine and spirits distributor.  According to Mr. Goodrich, the Company’s activities focused on both the Metro New York City region as well as across Upstate New York.

 

METRO NEW YORK REGION ACTIVITIES:

I. 2010 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival and Southern Wine & Spirits of New York

The third annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, which took place October 7-10, 2010, is hosted by and benefits the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®. With Southern Wine & Spirits of New York serving as the exclusive wine and spirits sponsor, the event features a one-of-a-kind line-up of chefs, winemakers, culinary personalities, and mixologists – including Restaurant magazine’s newly named number one and number three best chefs in the world René Redzepi of Denmark’s Noma and Heston Blumenthal of England’s Fat Duck, plus Peru’s Gastón Acurio, Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond, cookbook author and country singer Trisha Yearwood and master mixologists The Tipping Brothers; along with Food Network celebrities Paula Deen, Guy Fieri and Alton Brown among others. Plus, a variety of new events to complement all of the returning fan-favorites!  

The 2010 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is produced by Karlitz & Company and Southern Wine & Spirits of New York. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York is also the exclusive provider of wine and spirits at the Festival. According to Lee Schrager, Festival Director and Vice President, Corporate Communications and Special Events, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., Miami, Florida, 100% of the Festival’s net proceeds go toward helping Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®, each of which fight hunger. 

 

Food Bank For New York City recognizes 27 years as the city’s major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs.  As the city’s hub for integrated food poverty assistance, the Food Bank tackles the hunger issue on three fronts — emergency food distribution, income support and nutrition education — all strategically guided by its research. Through its network of approximately 1,000 food assistance programs citywide, the Food Bank helps provide 300,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. The Food Bank’s hands-on nutrition education program in the public schools reaches thousands of children, teens and adults. Income support services including food stamps, free tax assistance for the working poor and the Earned Income Tax Credit put millions of dollars back in the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, helping them to achieve greater dignity and independence. Every dollar donated to the Food Bank helps provide five meals to New Yorkers in need. Learn how you can help at foodbanknyc.org.

 

II. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York Suppliers and the 10^th Annual Gala A Slice of Latin America.

 

In 2010, Southern Wine & Spirits of New York was the exclusive wine and spirits sponsor for The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF), Inc. when the group hosted this year’s annual fundraiser. The premier gala event features the delectable tastes of Latin America by a host of New York City’s most celebrated chefs and SWSNY’s finest wines and spirits. CHCF's annual fundraising event held on March 10th 2010 at the Plaza Hotel was a huge social and financial fundraising event filled with Latin music, culture and food supporting CCF’s vital programs.  The Gala raised $300,000 which helped to fund CHCF's and to award a scholarship through a competitive process to a selected student. 

 

According to Mr. Goodrich, this year’s Honorees and special guests included:  Mrs. Matilda Cuomo, former First Lady of New York State (1983-1995) and Founder and Chairperson of Mentoring USA-Mentoring USA/Italia and Michael Rodríguez, President of Alliance Building Services, New York.

 

III. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York and the “Whole Foods Market New Taste of the Upper West Side Presented by Pasta Lensi,”

 

This annual culinary event fundraiser, which benefits the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), welcomed more than 3,000 guests over the 2-day event weekend.  Guests dined on exceptional fare provided by over 65 top chefs, all with restaurants in the Upper West Side neighborhood, and sipped wine and spirits from the Southern Wine and Spirits portfolio as well as select vineyards from the Long island Wine Council.  Held under an elegant grand tent covering the playground along Columbus Avenue between 76th and 77th Streets New Taste of the Upper West Side took its place as one of the City’s annual signature events. 

 

About the Columbus Avenue BID: The Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District represents merchants and property owners along Columbus Avenue, from West 67th street to 82nd street.  Formed in 1999 in a landmark district, its membership includes a diverse range of retailers, restaurateurs and commercial and mixed-use property owners, comprising all of the commercial establishments.  In addition, the Columbus Avenue BID’s district includes the American Museum of natural history, Theodore Roosevelt Park, The New York Historical society and the Rose center for Earth and Space.

 

 IV. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York and Pernod Ricard USA Support USA HARVEST PROGRAM

 

With the support and involvement of Southern Wine & Spirits of New York in partnership with Pernod Ricard USA, the USA Harvest program launched in NY on April 1, 2010 and ran through June 30, 2010. 

 

The USA Harvest Program is one of the largest charitable food delivery service organizations in the country providing 1 million meals per day for people in need throughout the United States.  This commitment to community service caught the attention of Pernod Ricard USA employees in Kentucky and soon after a partnership was born with a concept of buying 1 bottle of Absolut Vodka and PRUSA will donate 1 meal to people in need in the local community through USA Harvest. 

 

The program became so successful, the partnership grew to all markets throughout the PRUSA Eastern Sales Division, including New York, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, and South Carolina. 

 

As a result of the dedication and commitment of the SWSNY sales force as well as all participating retailers, the NY market delivered over 350,000 meals to individuals and families in need throughout the state.

 

V. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York and Habitat for Humanity – NYC

 

Southern Wine & Spirits of New York and Pernod Ricard USA USA launched Absolut Brooklyn. Pernod Ricard USA’s iconic Swedish Vodka is a new product created in collaboration with Brooklyn-born icon Spike Lee.  Celebrations kicked off in Bedford Stuyvesant, where Harvey R. Chaplin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc. announced $50,000 in proceeds from Absolut Brooklyn would be donated to Habitat for Humanity to provide much-needed housing for residents of Brooklyn. According to Ms. Secondini, the Company continues to offer not only financial support but also physical labor support as sales teams donate their time to help build HFH homes.

 

 

VI. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York Employees Charity Committee Supports Child Center of New York

 

In 2010, the members of Southern Wine & Spirits of New York’s Metro Charity Committee hosted a charity dinner dance at Verdi’s to benefit the Child Center of New York.  More than 100 guests participated to raise $3,000 for the charity.

 

REGION ACTIVITIES IN UPSTATE NEW YORK:

 

VII. Southern Wine & Spirits of New York – Upstate and Wegman’s Partner To Support Hillside Children’s Foundation

 

Southern’s Upstate division supports the Hillside Children’s Foundation.  All event proceeds benefit Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, assisting with “Graduation is the Goal” for at risk students.  Our suppliers purchased tables and conducted tastings, and contributed to this important local charity based in Rochester, NY.

 

Southern Upstate has been a corporate sponsor each year for the Seneca Diabetes Foundation Fore! The Cause Golf Classic.  Our corporate sponsorship is funded 100% by our Upstate suppliers.  The event was held at the Niagara Frontier Country Club in the Buffalo market with all proceeds benefitting the Seneca Diabetes Foundation.  The mission of this local foundation is to provide education outreach, prevention awareness and fund research to improve the lives of Seneca Nation members.

 

1490 Enterprises, Inc. is a not-for-profit human services organization providing service to low-income residents in Buffalo, New York.  A major community project is the Black Achiever’s Awards Dinner which provides an opportunity for local groups to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions in the community. The Company’s donations to this project support senior housing and scholarships for public school seniors

 

Southern’s Upstate personnel joined together to raise money for a local charity this past summer when a co-worker lost his son.  The group called “Hope for Bereaved, Inc.” is a local non-profit organization, whose services have been a tremendous support to our employee and his family.  A portion of the monies raised went towards purchasing a memorial bench and brick paver at a local park in memory of his son.   The balance of the donation provided funding to the organization which provides grief counseling and support services free of charge to individuals and families in need. 

 

The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) provides many services for the animals across Upstate New York, including adoption, education, spay/neuter programs, and investigation into animal cruelty. Southern’s Upstate personnel joined together for an employee sponsored drive to collect items to donate to the CNYSPCA. Monetary donations and items were collected in the Syracuse office for a one week period of time.

 

Each year, Southern Upstate employees participate in an “Adopt a Family” program through a local charity or organization. Last year, the Cathedral Church at Columbus Circle (located in the city of Syracuse), provided Upstate with a family of eight, a single mom with seven children to provide for. Paper mittens were displayed on an office wall, and employees were able to take as many mittens as they wanted. These mittens included the family member’s wishes and needs for Christmas. Employees purchased and wrapped their gifts, brought them to the office, where these were transported to the Cathedral, and then on to the family to celebrate their holiday.

 

Throughout the entire year, Southern Upstate employees work together in supporting the local chapter of the Salvation Army through different programs and events to help the needy and less fortunate in the area. Each summer, the employees participate in the “Christmas in July” Campaign in which bins are set up to give canned goods, and kettles for monetary donations.  Each winter during the holiday season, employees participate in a Holiday Food Drive where bins are set up to give canned goods and kettles for monetary donations. A small group of employees volunteered their time to work a weekend morning at a local homeless shelter by preparing and serving meals to the residents.

 

Since its first year, Lee National Denim Day has raised nearly $80 million for the fight against breast cancer and unites nearly one million supporters nationwide each year. Lee National Denim Day is a one-day event dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. Annually, Southern Upstate personnel participate in Lee Denim Week. For each day an employee wears denim, a daily donation is required. These donations are then collected and sent to Lee National Denim Day.

 

Each November, a small group of Southern Upstate employees volunteer and work at St. Daniels, a local Catholic Church in the community, at their annual Harvest Festival including food, crafts, cake/baked goods sale, and live music. Employees donate several hours of their personal time on the scheduled Saturday to assist with the festivities and to represent Southern Upstate in the community.