phi·​lan·​thro·​py [Noun]:

The desire to promote the welfare of others expressed especially by the generous donation of money, time, or experience to good causes.

 

The term philanthropy dates back to Greek mythology in the 5th century BC.  It meant “love of humanity.” Today, philanthropy means generosity in all its forms and is most often defined as giving gifts of “time, talent and treasure” to help make life better for other people.
Anyone can be a philanthropist, regardless of status or net worth. By definition, a philanthropist is a person who donates time, money, experience, skills, or talent to help create a better world. 

While Napa Valley is best known around the world as North America’s most premier wine region, insiders know the intrinsic value is the resilient and generous spirit of the local community.  The people who live in Napa go to great lengths to support one another, particularly the sick and less fortunate. This especially rings true in times of crisis, when the force of giving is paramount, whether confronted with an earthquake, a fire, or a global pandemic. 

The Napa community embodies many philanthropists deserving of thanks and recognition for the time, talent, or treasure they contribute to the well-being of others.  In this special feature, Napa Valley Life Magazine is proud to present some of the organizations, businesses, and individuals within the Napa community who stand out for their passion and dedication to create a better world for those around them.   

Photos below by Lowell Downey of Art & Clarity Photography unless otherwise noted.

 

Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi

Founders // Festival Napa Valley

Among the founders of Festival Napa Valley, Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi have generously supported the summer Festival since its first season in 2006. As the first chairman of the Festival’s Board of Directors, Darioush continues to serve on the Board of Directors today.

The ten-day music and lifestyle festival, held each July, includes more than 200 participating artists, wineries, resorts, theaters,  restaurants,  chefs, and vintners, each dedicated to making the arts accessible to all. To date, the Festival’s annual Arts for All Gala has raised more than $13 million for Napa County public school arts education, and programs such as the Festival’s tuition-free Blackburn Music Academy, and summer camps for Boys & Girls Club students. “Festival Napa Valley would not be the vital force in the community that it is today without the passionate support of Darioush and Shahpar,” said the Festival’s president and CEO Rick Walker. “They’ve been a key part of the Festival since its inception, and have helped shape our mission to make the arts accessible to all. Their generosity is an inspiration.”

“Ever since I was a child, I have been a lover of music,” said Darioush, proprietor of Darioush Estate Wines. “Today, I recognize the power that music and the arts hold to enrich our lives, promote well-being, and foster our community and connection to one another. Festival Napa Valley holds these values dearly and makes it their mission to make the arts accessible to all. By promoting arts education to our youth, they’re ensuring that  future  generations will benefit from these essentials; my wife and I are honored to give our time to such a meaningful and personal endeavor.” // www.festivalnapavalley.org

 

Michele Grupe

Executive Director // Cope

Michele Grupe’s entire career has been spent  in  the field of child abuse prevention. She started as a counselor in a Contra Costa County group home before moving into administration, and in 2003, she joined the staff   of Cope Family Center as Development Director. As Executive Director since 2017, Grupe, a Napa resident for the past 16 years, oversees a staff of 19 full-time employees, 12 part-time employees, and 87 active volunteers. Founded nearly five decades ago by a group of parents concerned about an abuse-related childhood death, Cope seeks to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through parent education and support services such as parenting classes, home visits, crisis support, emergency assistance, and resource referrals. Cope also works to raise awareness of the impact of ACEs through community outreach, advocacy, and civic engagement. “I was raised by two loving parents in a safe, supportive home,” said Grupe, who loves spending her free time with friends and family, which includes her teen son Tyler. “Every child deserves that, but not every child is as fortunate as I am.

Children do not get to select the home or circumstances into which they are born, so it is important to care for children by supporting their parents and caregivers. Childhood trauma is undertreated despite irrefutable evidence that it can result in lifelong negative health and mental health outcomes. Napa Valley is driven by the robust tourism industry, but at the same time, there are striking health disparities, income and racial inequality, and deep trauma that affect many in our community. Additionally, residents have been challenged by a variety of natural and man-made disasters that increase the likelihood of toxic stress and subsequent poor health outcomes. Family resource centers, like Cope, provide a safe place for people to access services from trusted sources.” // www.copefamilycenter.org

 

Brandon Staglin

Founder & President  //  One Mind & Music Festival For Brain Health

Inspired by the shared experience of his 1990 schizophrenia diagnosis and subsequent recovery, Brandon Staglin and his family founded the mental health non-profit One Mind and its popular annual Music Festival for Brain Health fundraiser hosted at the Staglin Family Vineyard in Napa Valley. “It was 1995, and at first I felt ambivalent about our non-profit because I was still mired in symptoms and felt a lot of self-stigma about my condition,” said Staglin. “I felt that because the Music Festival had come about because of my illness, I had been put on the spot to speak publicly about it, and wasn’t ready to do so.” Staglin’s turning point came in 2005 when he read about the schizophrenic son of a Music Festival donor. “Although this young man had started to recover, a relapse left him near death,” explained Staglin. “His condition had deteriorated so far that the mental healthcare system was unable to help him.” Staglin was outraged at the plight and vowed to do whatever he could to end such injustices. It was then that he understood his family’s non-profit work was critical to helping millions of people across the U.S. and beyond. The family has been lauded for their efforts, most recently being named the 2020 Presidents Awardee in May 2020 by the Schizophrenia International Research Society.

“I signed on as director of marketing and communications, built the Music Festival’s first website, and began to blog about my recovery,” said Staglin, now president of One Mind. He channels his experience in communications, advocacy, and personal schizophrenia recovery to drive brain health research programs to heal lives, and he has helped to grow his family-run organization into the leading brain health non-profit committed to healing the lives of people impacted by brain illness and injury.  “I am proud to share my story to inspire others toward their own recovery and to support the brain health research led by One Mind,” said Staglin. “As this world grows more chaotic and anxiety, depression and trauma rise, our work grows more important than ever.”

If all goes as planned, the 26th Annual Music Festival for Brain Health fundraiser will be held on September 12, 2020. // www.music-festival.org // www.onemind.org

 

Terence Mulligan

President and CEO // Napa Valley Community Foundation

As president and CEO of the Napa Valley Community Foundation (NVCF) since 2004, Terence Mulligan leads his team of  colleagues and a group of volunteer board and committee members in pursuit of the Foundation’s mission – to tackle the  most critical challenges that Napa Valley faces. One such challenge most recently faced – the devastating financial impact of COVID-19 for which NVCF  has released $3.5 million from its Disaster Relief Fund to support immediate community health needs and emergency financial assistance for low- to moderate- income workers. “Every day, we gather generous hearts and bright minds to  solve the problems that lie just beneath the surface of this beautiful place we call home,” said Mulligan, a  native  of the Sacramento Valley who holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School. Before joining the Napa Valley Community Foundation, Mulligan spent three years at the Peninsula Community Foundation in Silicon Valley, helping to raise more than $100 million from individuals, families, and corporations. “I think we have a well-earned reputation for taking-on things that are difficult, and for making a significant difference; things like workforce housing, immigration, and disasters, to name a few.” Mulligan works with his board to assess where financial focus should be placed. He spends time with local non- profits to more deeply understand what  it is each does for the community, and to determine emerging issues that might not be receiving enough attention. He works with his team in taking great care of existing donors, and in recruiting new donors to support the Foundation. “We are here to harness the power of peoples’ collective generosity,” said Mulligan, father to a 14-year-old son and 12-year- old daughter. “As one of my favorite donors recently said, ‘What happens outside of Napa County is beyond my control, but when I work with Napa  Valley  Community Foundation, I feel like a force for good.’” // www.napavalleycf.org

 

Jane Baer

Vice President and Managing Director // The V Foundation

Co-founded in by ESPN and the legendary and inspirational Jim Valvano, for whom the foundation is named, the V Foundation is dedicated to saving lives by helping to find a cure for all types of cancer. Since 1993, the Foundation has funded more than $225 million in cancer research grants nationwide. Longtime Napa resident Jane Baer serves as vice president and managing director of the foundation’s annual Napa-based  Wine  Celebration for Cancer Research, one of the top ten charitable wine auctions in the United States. The three-day signature event has raised more than $115 million since its launch in 1999, primarily due to Baer’s passion and commitment. Listed  in the top 3 percent of national charities, 100% of the V Foundation’s direct donations benefit innovative cancer research and related programs. “The Wine Celebration was initially intended as a modest fundraising effort,” said Baer, who was hired by the V Foundation in 2001 after a successful two-decade career working in high-end event planning, luxury travel and hotel management.   “I’ve spent the past 19 years designing and building a series of events that help to create a unique  and inclusive environment for vintners, donors, sponsors, and top oncologists to gather together in a united effort to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against cancer. I am proud and privileged to work with our founding partner, ESPN, our esteemed Board of Directors, our brilliant scientific advisors, committed vintners, and generous donors who have all helped to create an incredible organization. I truly feel that together we will be a part of finding a cure for a disease that affects one-third of the planet.”

“Jane is the heart and soul of the V Wine Celebration,” said Julie Maples, founder and chair of the event. “Jane has created a series of heartfelt events that have catapulted the V Wine Celebration into one of the top and most respected charity/wine auction/fundraising events in the country. Her creativity, knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm are unrivaled, and every guest and community member with whom she comes in contact becomes a loyal and significant partner in the fight against cancer.” // www.v.org

 

Tracy Lamb

Executive Director // NEWS

Tracy Lamb believes that everyone can play a role in pre- venting violence. Currently executive director of NEWS, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victim Services (formerly Napa Emergency Women’s Shelter), Lamb has worked in the violence-survivor field for 35 years; 15 of those at NEWS. “Domestic violence and sexual abuse take a heavy toll on a community at many levels and the impact on our medical, criminal, and civil justice systems is costly,” said Lamb, who moved with her husband from Michigan to Napa in 1984. At NEWS, she oversees a staff dedicated to promoting safe communities and social change through prevention, intervention, education, and advocacy. NEWS provides safety, hope, healing, and empowerment for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. “There are thousands of individual survivors in our community who suffer from trauma and  emotional  effects,  economic impacts such as lost income and homelessness, and physical implications. There are school children who have witnessed or been exposed to violence, which impacts  their ability  to learn and socialize  in school  and puts them at risk of future  violence in their lives.”  Lamb wants the community  to know that NEWS  is a safe and confidential place to turn for help. The program offers a six-bedroom safehouse programming for kids exposed to violence, support groups in English and Spanish, assistance with housing issues related to domestic assault, and 24-hour immediate in-person response to survivors.” I love this community,” said Lamb, who, when not at work, can be found running local trails with her Yellow Lab Rusty. “And I am committed to helping people find a path to healing that works best for them.” // www.napanews.org

 

Julie Diverde

CEO // CASA, A Voice for Children

Julie DiVerde, CEO of Napa CASA, A Voice for Children said, “According to studies, one caring adult in the life of a child can make a significant difference in the child’s ability to cope with adversity. The adults who work with such children need to be trained and supervised by experienced supervisors.” And that’s the job  of  CASA, whose mission is to provide advocacy, support, and mentorship for abused, neglected, and at-risk children; to advocate for the best interests of children in the foster care system and to ensure they have a safe, permanent home in which they can thrive.  DiVerde  has  served  as  CASA’s CEO for the past 13 years; prior, she worked for CASA of Marin County for 17 years. CASA serves every abused or neglected child who, because of the severity of the abuse and neglect, requires the protection of the Napa County Superior Court. CASA  trains  and  supervises  volunteers who address the needs of children in foster care by meeting with them regularly in their home; assessing their living situation; providing support throughout the court process; ensuring that the children’s wishes are known to the judge; submitting reports to the court with the child’s current situation and making recommendations for  the  best interest of the child. CASA volunteers also assist children transitioning to new foster homes. “Abused and neglected children in foster care have significantly higher rates of health issues and educational disparities,” said DiVerde. “CASA ensures that our most vulnerable children, from newborn to age twenty, receive the support they need and provides a consistent and stable adult in their lives. All children in foster care need and  deserve  the  opportunity for a better future – a future that includes being safe, being cared for, and the chance to succeed in life.” // www.Napacasa.org

 

Oscar Renteria

Board Director // Napa Valley Farmworkers Foundation

Oscar Renteria’s entire life has been spent in Napa Valley’s vineyards. At age 12, he started working in the fields during school breaks and on weekends alongside his 14 aunts and uncles and 36 first cousins. “When I got to high school at Justin Sienna and learned that my classmates actually took spring break and summer vacations, I had the urge   to leave this only life I’d known,” said the St. Helena native and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation board member. His escape finally came  during  his  junior and senior years in college when he studied at St. Mary’s in Moraga, earning a science degree. He had no plans to return to the Valley, but when his father Salvador suggested they go into business together, he relented, and returned. “I didn’t appreciate Napa at the time,” said Renteria. “But now I know this is where I belong.” In 1987, he and Salvador started Renteria Vineyard Management, providing comprehensive vineyard management services with two goals: 1) to unlock the unique and highest potential of every vineyard site they farm, and 2) to provide a supportive environment and network for the backbone of wine country’s workforce – its farmworkers. The company now employs 240 full-time staff and 200 seasonal staff and is one of the largest and most respected vineyard management companies in the North Bay.  In addition  to his vineyard management business, Oscar produces a collection of rare-production wines named Tres  Perlas after his daughters, who he calls the “three pearls” of his life.

Supremely gifted at making connections, Renteria’s background and personable nature have made him a familiar and highly respected member of the Napa Valley wine community. Oscar serves on the Board of the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, where this year, he will serve as Chair of the 13th annual STOMP, Napa Valley Grapegrower’s popular fundraiser. Each year Oscar takes the stage to appeal to attendees and to host the bidding to support educational and professional development opportunities for more than 21,000 vineyard workers and their families. In 2019, the event raised a record-breaking $2.3 million.

“I get emotional on that stage when talking about the Valley’s workforce,” said Renteria. “I cry, which makes everyone else cry. Our clients jokingly accuse me of emotional manipulation, but it’s all real. It’s from the heart.”

In addition to his commitment to the NV Farmworker Foundation, Oscar is donating 100 percent of the proceeds of his new 2019 Tres Perlas Rosé to an emergency relief fund benefitting farmworkers and their families.

Napa Valley Grapegrowers is a non-profit trade organization that has played a vital role in strengthening Napa Valley’s reputation as a world-class viticultural region for more than 43 years. | www.napagrowers.org

 

Bob Hurley

Board Co-Chair // Lincoln Theater // Napa Performing Arts Center

Bob Hurley freely admits that his initial involvement with Napa Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater was a business decision. The proprietor of Yountville’s popular Hurley’s Restaurant figured that by supporting the Theater, he was helping to support Yountville’s business and restaurant community. “A thriving theater brings people to town, and those people need to eat,” said Hurley. Little did he know that his business-motivated involvement would turn into a passion. “I dabbled in theater when I was younger, but it wasn’t until I joined the board of Lincoln Theater that    I truly came to appreciate all that the arts can do for a community. The more   I got involved, the more I loved it.” Now co-chair of the board after more than ten years of involvement, and  retired  from the restaurant business, Hurley has the time to further delve into the Theater’s various programs. “The Theater, located within Yountville’s Veteran’s  Home campus, supports our grade schools with theater education, and dance and music programs,” emphasized Hurley. “We also support the veterans with programming of interest to them, and we are launching a speaker series this year. The Theater is of great value to the entire community.” In addition to his Theater co-chair position, Hurley serves on the board of Hands Across the Valley, and for more than a decade has organized an annual lunch for the veterans at which Yountville’s various esteemed chefs participate. Life as a busy restaurateur once meant that travel took  a backseat, but now Hurley and his wife Cynthia have the time to indulge their wanderlust, as well as spend time with their two adult children. “I made sure to leave the restaurant world at the top of my game,” said Hurley. “Being a chef never defined me. I’ve always had other interests.” // www.lincolntheater.com

 

Allison Haley

President // If Given A Chance

If Given A Chance (IGAC) identifies high school students faced with formidable social, family, medical, and economic challenges, and provides them with mentoring and financial assistance to support their efforts in completing a college degree or vocational training program. Allison Haley, Napa County’s District Attorney and president of IGAC, has served more than a decade on the IGAC board. “IGAC supports students in breaking cycles of abuse, overcoming addiction, leaving gangs, managing physical and emotional dis- abilities, and overcoming poverty,” said Haley. “The  Napa  County  visionaries who established IGAC 25 years ago understood the profound impact of post high school education, especially college, on life skills, emotional balance, professional advancement, annual income, and family stability. They also understood that high school students whose lives had been turned upside down by financial hardship, mental and physical abuse, poor life choices, and an unstable home environment were least likely to have an opportunity to pursue either a college education or vocational training program. This vulnerable group of students represents the focus of all we do at IGAC. We are dedicated to finding vulnerable students who have the drive and resilience to further their education in college or vocational training.”

The program begins during a students’ junior year of high school with mentoring, counseling, financial assistance for college entrance exams, application fees and deposits, and training on how to prepare for applying to a college or a vocational training program. The program then continues throughout his/her undergraduate college years.

“In its 25 years, IGAC has served more than 380 youth,” said Haley, who lives in Napa County with her husband Mark and seven-year-old daughter Fiona. “Through case management, award criteria, requirements, community support, expectations,  and  advocacy, we assist young people growing into responsible, caring, community connected, and positive members of society. Our organization has demonstrated successful outcomes with alumni reaching pinnacles of success in their careers, which range from police and probation officers to filmmakers, attorney’s experts in infection control, entrepreneurs, marketing executives, and more. IGAC has proven that changing even one life can change the world.”

Said Kimberly, an IGAC recent college graduate, “IGAC connected me to resources and community members of Napa who want to see me succeed. That impacted not only me but my family. It broke the cycle of poverty. My younger brothers and I accessed resources that were available to us because I learned how to ask for help. Now college is a natural transition from high school for my brothers. I learned no matter what, we can make it work.”

“When you have even one caring adult in a child’s life, it changes the trajectory of their future, with positive, healthy outcomes,” said Haley. // www.Ifgivenachance.org

 

John Willard Apodaca

Founder // Serenity Homes of Napa Valley

John Apodaca’s desk overflows with letters of thanks from grateful wives, husbands, parents, and children who have witnessed unimaginable transformations in their loved ones, thanks to Apocada’s Serenity Homes sober living environments. His walls are covered with photos of those who have successfully completed the sustained recovery program, their pictures a source of inspiration for Apocada, his team of leaders, and those newly entering the Serenity family.

Known to thousands of grateful Napa residents as ‘Johnny A,’ Apocada created  the basis for Serenity Homes 24 years ago when he opened his home to several friends in recovery. These housemates became an extended family where every member was singularly focused on recovery, personal growth, and helping others. The environment proved so successful that Apocada began acquiring more homes to accommodate others seeking drug and alcohol sobriety.

In 2005, he incorporated Serenity  Homes of Napa Valley as a non-profit and in 2019, Serenity served 101 members, achieving an astonishing sobriety rate of 82 percent.

Currently, Apocada and his team operate seven homes in Napa. Johnny’s current focus, to hallmark the 25th Anniversary of Serenity Homes, is to find caring Napans willing to donate their  homes, in whatever condition, to create  another Women’s Home and a special home for Dual Diagnosis members.

Apodaca also runs Serenity Builders, a Napa contracting service employing those in recovery. “Johnny A has earned his place in Napa history as one of the true heroes of the least amongst us, by providing the overall structure, guidance, and hope for those willing to recover and rejoin our community as productive and sharing members,” said Don Winter, chairman of Serenity Homes. “To be sure, Johnny A himself has suffered numerous heartbreaks and disasters over the decades, but somehow he tirelessly  presses  on… and each success story of recovery refuels his indomitable hope and spirit. His impact on the well being of Napa County is incalculable.” // www.shnv.org

 

Jennifer McConnehey

Director of Philanthropy // Collabria Care

Collabria Care is committed to providing exceptional professional health care, expert resources, and compas sionate support to individuals and their loved ones experiencing the transitions of aging, serious illness, or facing the end of life. And as the organization’s director of philanthropy, Jennifer McConnehey is committed to supporting Collabria Care’s clinical staff so that these caring individuals have the necessary resources to respond to community needs. In her role, McConnehey oversees Collabria Care’s annual and legacy giving programs as well as major events. She also works closely with donors to pair their charitable wishes with Collabria Care’s initiatives. “In Napa County, we are blessed with a generous and supportive community,” said McConnehey.

Started in 1979 as a volunteer hospice program, Collabria Care has grown to become the leading center for community- based senior care delivery and resources in the North Bay.  “As our population ages, it’s crucial our community members have access to specialized health care and support,” said McConnehey, who admires Collabria Care’s ability to identify and fill gaps in care. “And, they shouldn’t have to face these tender moments alone. Those in our care are some of this community’s most vulnerable individuals with multiple illnesses, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, or another life-limiting illness. Programs such as community grief support, Alzheimer’ services, and our Day Program all grew from those identified unmet needs. I truly love my job and feel fortunate to work with such great people that are committed to our mission.

Every day I see examples of the significant impact philanthropy makes in the lives of those we serve.” // www.collabriacare.org

 

Iren Jenny

Founder // Hope’s Chest Fashion Show for Cope Family Center

After a thirty-year career in banking, Iren Jenny followed her passion for customer service and fashion and founded Hope’s Chest with the goal of promoting, selling, and preserving for future generations vintage heirlooms, jewelry, and antiques. Named after her granddaughter, Jenny’s small business soon became a player in the Napa Valley philanthropy arena when she decided to add a charitable aspect. “On a regular  basis,  I donate  a portion  of all of my earnings to Cope Family Center and I volunteer for them whenever I can,” said Jenny, who also  donates  to and  supports Cope auctions and fundraising efforts. Her allegiance to Cope   (whose mission is to empower parents, nurture children, and help struggling families) was sparked by a long ago tragic community event. “It really shook my world  that within  miles  of this paradise in which we live that something so vile could happen,” said Jenny. “Recognizing that no one decides to be a bad parent but that some lose their way, I decided that maybe in a very small way I could get involved.” Jenny has served as a celebrity waiter at the agency’s annual fundraiser; after the 2017 fires, she collected funds and gift certificates from family and friends for distribution to Cope’s most vulnerable clients. And she created the annual Hope’s Chest Fashion Show for Cope Family Center for which  she opens  her home and donates all door proceeds and a portion of sales. When approached for an interview for this profile, Jenny demurred, “I am just a small business owner that contributes a small but constant portion of my earnings to a chosen charity.” Every little bit helps. // jennysrus@att.net

 

Wendi Piscia

Executive Director // Napa Humane

The Executive Director of Napa Humane since 2016, and an employee since 2005, Wendi Piscia has loved animals her entire life. She is currently the proud owner of two cats and three dogs (one of whom is training with her to become a pet therapy team), and she recently raised a puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind. As a child, Wendi dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but high school biology changed her mind, and she ended up on a social science path. After earning a master’s degree in social work, and various employment in that field, she shifted to animal welfare. “I’ve always felt that my calling was to enhance the lives of vulnerable populations in my community, and in my mind, this absolutely includes pets,” said the Napa native and mother of two active boys. When hired as Program Director in 2005, she enhanced and created new services to further the organization’s mission: ‘To promote the welfare of companion animals through protection, advocacy, education, and by example.’ She expanded spay/neuter services, created classroom curriculum presentations about responsible pet care and safety, and started free wellness clinics for the under- served pets living in low-income Latino households. In 2016, she took the helm with a goal of better meeting the needs of those they serve. “Napa Humane is the only organization in Napa County that actually performs spay/neuter surgeries, and teaches children in local classrooms,” said Piscia. “Our work dramatically lowers the number of puppies and kittens born into an uncertain future and teaches future generations of Napans how to be safe and responsible pet owners. Prevention is our primary emphasis because it has the greatest impact on reducing animal suffer- ing. Instead of just treating symptoms, we focus on eliminating the problem itself. In short: we work to keep pets out of shelters and rescue groups.” // www.napahumane.org

 

Andy Beckstoffer

Founder // Beckstoffer Vineyards COVID-19 Relief

Few have made a more significant impact on the evolution of Northern California’s wine industry than Andy Beckstoffer and the company he founded leader during times of crises. In 2015, in 1970 at the age of 30, Beckstoffer Vineyards. For 50 years, he has forged major shifts in the way the wine industry values land, grapes, and farmers, and in doing so, has helped Napa Valley and California to find their spot on the global wine stage. He has also proven to be a Beckstoffer Vineyards pledged $50,000 to the #LakeCountyRising fundraising campaign following the devastating Valley Fire. This donation and those of other individuals and private companies eventually raised more than $1,000,000 for #LakeCountyRising.  Most  recently, he helped to ease some of the COVID-19 economic fallout experienced by Napa’s hourly workforce by donating $100,000 directly to individuals most in need in Napa, Mendocino, and Lake Counties. More than 100 checks of $300 each were provided amongst the three counties, totaling approximately $33,000 per county. The Chambers of Commerce of each county determined which individuals and families received the checks, primarily earmarked for hourly workers who lost their jobs due to layoffs, including hotel housekeepers, dishwashers, waitstaff, busboys, and more. The checks were issued directly to individuals without administrative  costs or fees. “With restaurant closures and reduced tourism, we recognize that many in the hospitality industry have been suddenly laid off, meaning that many of the already lowest wage earners have now lost their income completely,” said Beckstoffer. “We care about the people who  work  in the counties where we farm, and we hope that our donation inspires other individuals and companies to contribute additional much-needed funds.”

 

The Araujo Family

Honorary Chairs // Auction Napa Valley

The Araujo family’s service as honorary chairs of Auction Napa Valley 2020 and 2021 is more than fitting. It was as guests at the 1989 auction, then titled ‘Napa Valley Wine Auction,’ that Daphne and Bart decided to move their family to Napa from their Santa Barbara home. Overwhelmed by the graciousness of Valley residents and vintners, and by the auction itself, the event proved the catalyst in their relocation. Within a year, they had purchased three vineyard properties. And within four years, they had produced and released their first Auction Napa Valley live auction wine lot. And they’ve been involved ever since. “We’ve always hosted a dinner, the sort of small group event that made a marked impression on us the first time we attended,” said Daphne. “That’s always our favorite part.”

Sponsored by the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV), Auction Napa Valley combines the region’s iconic scenery with vintner hospitality, culinary creativity, and the chance for bidders to acquire rare collections of Napa Valley wine. Over its 40-year history, the event has raised and donated more than $200 million to 25 local nonprofits and strategic initiatives that emphasize prevention and early intervention in the areas of community health and children’s education. And despite its 2020 cancellation, NVV has pledged to make donations from their rainy day reserve fund equal to last year’s giving in order to maintain services and respond to arising new needs.

Daphne, Bart, and their children Greg and Jaime, who serve as brand ambassadors for the family’s Accendo Cellars, certainly had not planned on serving two years as honorary chairs of the world’s most celebrated charity wine event. But when COVID-19 necessitated the cancellation of the June 2020 fete, they readily signed-on to continue their leadership through the June 2021 reschedule date.

“Much of the work has been done,” said Daphne, who has also served for 20 years on the St. Helena Hospital board. “What remains to be seen is how this experience has changed the way the country behaves, how we do business, and how we move forward within the new normal.” As chairs, she and her family are extremely hands-on, working to fill the various committee chair roles, overseeing vintner relations, and inspiring trusted friends to get involved in leadership roles. “Bart, Greg, Jaime, and I each felt strongly that we wanted to truly make a difference,” said Daphne, who cites that more than 100,000 Napa citizens are positively affected by the auction’s proceeds. “The Napa Valley is an interdependent community, and we, the vintners and growers, support much of the area’s commerce.

We have a responsibility to the vineyard workers, the hospitality industry, and the community at large; they depend on us.” // www.auctionnapavalley.org

 

Charlie Palmer

Cooking For His Community

Written by Maria C. Hunt

Chef Charlie Palmer is famous for his contributions new American cuisine and training the next generation of chefs through his restaurants like Aureole, Charlie Palmer Steak, and Dry Creek Kitchen. to Palmer has a big heart treating his staff and the kids he coached at his sons’ school in Santa Rosa like an extended family. He extends that care to the local community through two benefits he hosts every year: Pigs & Pinot and Project Zin.

Troubled by the fact that an estimated one in five children in the United States regularly goes hungry, Palmer uses Pigs & Pinot each March as a benefit for Share Our Strength. Master Sommeliers and local chefs team up to create the most exquisite and  inventive  Pinot  Noir  and pork pairings. Melissa Perello of Frances, Brian Voltaggio of Volt, and local Sonoma favorites John Stewart and Duskie Estes of Zazu Kitchen + Farm have lent their skills to the event, now in its 15th year. (The 2020 event was postponed due to COVID-19.)

While Share Our Strength  is  a  national  organization, a portion of the proceeds supports local scholarships and charities. “Pigs & Pinot allows us to give back to the community: hotel employees, restaurant employees, winery, and farmworkers,” Palmer said in a written statement.

“These funds help support community members who can’t afford to send their kid to baseball activities or who can’t afford a tutor or lunch program.”

For Project Zin held each August, Palmer partners with his winemaker friend Clay Mauritson to raise money for Down Syndrome research. “Clay and I have been great friends since my family moved  to  Healdsburg,”  Palmer said. When Mauritson’s young son was diagnosed with the genetic condition, he and his wife Carrie were stunned and unsure of what to expect. The genetic condition affects an estimated 1 in every 700 babies born in the U.S. each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

But support and advice from Down Syndrome Association North Bay helped the Mauritsons realize that their son could have a full life. The volunteer group’s only fundraiser usually netted about $5,000 a year, so Mauritson and Palmer teamed up to pull in more donations.

Mauritson is a wizard when it comes to Zinfandel. His family has been farming in Dry Creek Valley since 1868, and his Zins for Rockpile and Mauritson are coveted. For Project Zin, they invite regional chefs to show off their best dishes to pair with standout California Zins, including Ridge, Turley, and Williams-Selyem.

In the past nine years, Project Zin has raised $750,000 for the association. “Our goal is $1 million, and we’re well on our way,” Palmer said. “The local support has been amazing.”

For those who have never been to either Pigs & Pinot or Project Zin, they’re in for a pleasant surprise. “I just don’t think you can go wrong with a wine and food event, especially in Napa and Sonoma where new products and ideas are constantly being hatched,” Palmer said. “This is a true incubator of American food, and there is always something interesting to experience.” // www.hotelhealdsburg.com // www.drycreekkitchen.com