The future of thousands of Sonoma County students is about to get brighter, thanks to the commitment by the Sonoma County wine industry to improving child literacy rates across the County.  During the annual Sonoma Wine Country Weekend the wine industry comes together at the Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction for an animated day of wine, food and community to raise funds to support essential reading programs that foster literacy skills and reading comprehension for at-risk elementary school kids.

 

The 2014 fundraising efforts were incredibly successful, resulting in the funding of a total of 14 literacy programs – eight of which have just been announced and are NEW to the Fund the Future beneficiary portfolio. These programs were selected based on proven track records, strong metrics and geographic coverage. Priority was given to the underserved neighborhoods throughout Sonoma County.

 

In order for the funds to reach these neighborhoods throughout Sonoma County, the leadership of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend developed a relationship with the Sonoma County Office of Education.  They helped open the communication lines with the superintendents of the forty school districts in Sonoma County, resulting in a much larger reach in the small neighborhood pockets with the greatest level of needs.

 

The eight new programs funded as a result of the 2014 Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction Fund the Future proceeds are:

 

· Old Adobe Union School District will launch an independent, guided, and at home reading program and an Accelerated Reader online program for all students in the district.

· Piner-Olivet Unified School District will bring Schools of Hope, a volunteer tutoring program supporting literacy with young students to Olivet Elementary Charter School.

· Petaluma City Schools will support AVANCE and the launch of Raising a Reader at two schools.

· Roseland School District will launch the Grade Level Proficiency Program.

· Santa Rosa City Schools will launch Links to Literacy, including Schools of Hope, School Readiness Backpacks, and the Latino Family Literacy Project.

·Sonoma County Office of Education will expand Teachers Acquiring Language Learner Knowledge (TALLK) at additional preschools.

· Wright Elementary School District will support Multiple Steps to Reading Mastery.

· West Sonoma County Special Education and Student Services Consortium will launch the Lexia Core 5 Reading Program, an online individual learning program.

 

Current Fund the Future programs are:

Community Action Partnership: AVANCE and Pasitos Playgroups

Healdsburg Education Foundation: Accelerated English Program

Sonoma Valley Education Foundation: Summery Reading and Writing Academy and Grade Level Proficiency Project 

United Way of Wine Country: Schools of Hope

Barbara Bickford, Superintendent at Twin Hills Union School District, who was instrumental in bringing together nine schools to reap the benefits of available funding, said “This grant increases the opportunity for hundreds of students to participate in research-based and engaging reading experiences."

 

Dan Goldfield, President of Sonoma County Vintners Foundation expressed that the fundraising is truly a passion-driven team effort. “The funds raised at the 2014 Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction are a true testament to the power of the generosity and camaraderie of the Sonoma County wine community. By working together to reach a common and crucial goal, we work to change the lives of children and in turn our entire community.”

 

Children who can read will succeed, and reading at grade level by third grade increases their chance of success. 2015 Honorary Co-Chairs Joe Anderson, and his wife Mary Dewane, owners of Benovia Winery, have long been supporters of the initiative to improve literacy.  "We have learned that more than 16,000 children in Sonoma County cannot read proficiently by third grade,” said Anderson.  Up until third grade, children learn to read – but after third grade, they read to learn, so children who can’t read well by the third grade often drop out of high school and cannot find sustainable employment.  That’s why raising money for Fund the Future is so important, and I’m proud to say that because of money raised at last year’s Auction we were able to help 4,000 more children in Sonoma County. We still have a lot of work to do and that’s why we’re so excited that the community is coming together again over Labor Day Weekend to continue the fundraising efforts for this important initiative.”  

 

Squire Fridell, President of Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation says “With 54 percent of all third grade students in Sonoma County reading below proficiency levels, there is still much to be done.  With the 2015 Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction approaching, confidence is high that the wine community will achieve its goal to increase the third grade literacy rate to 90% by 2018”. Fund the Future-supported literacy programs throughout Sonoma County impacted 5,300 students in 2014, up dramatically from the 1,300 students impacted in 2013. The goal for 2015 is raise enough funding to reach another 12,000 students.

 

Vintners and Winegrowers throughout Sonoma County generously donate their time, wine, talent, and passion toward the cause of childhood literacy. Honorary Co-Chair and owner of Buena Vista Winery and DeLoach Vineyards, Jean-Charles Boisset added, "working together we can secure a thriving future for our community, and a successful environment for our wine industry."

 

Detailed information on grant recipients and their literacy programs is available on request.

 

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, which takes place September 4-6 in 2015, is co-produced by the Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance. To buy tickets and plan your Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, please visit www.SonomaWineCountryWeekend.com

 

About 2015 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Sponsors and Beneficiaries

A partnership between Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers and Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is California’s premier wine, food and social event, held each year over Labor Day weekend. Sonoma Wine Country Weekends have raised more than $16 million for local charities supporting children, the environment and health. For a full list of beneficiaries and sponsors, visit www.SonomaWineCountryWeekend.com.

 

About Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers and Sonoma County Vintners

The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers (SVVG) is a non-profit organization serving over 500 members who share a mission to promote awareness of Sonoma Valley’s grapes, wine and history as the birthplace of the California wine industry. Sonoma Valley comprises five of the 17 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Sonoma County: Bennett Valley, Los Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Sonoma Valley. For more information, visit www.SonomaValleyWine.com.

 

 

Sonoma County Vintners (SCV), the leading voice of Sonoma County wine, is dedicated to raising awareness for one of the world’s premier wine regions, noted for its heritage of artisan winemaking and extraordinary quality. Founded in 1944, SCV represents over 250 wineries and affiliated businesses throughout the county. Learn more about SCV at www.SonomaWine.com.