Keuka Spring Vineyards donates $15,000 to local food banks
Recently Keuka Spring Vineyards donated $15,000 to local food banks.
“In the wine business, we are surrounded by food and wine," said Jeanne Wiltberger, Marketing Director and legacy family member at Keuka Spring Vineyards. "We realize that this isn’t the same for everyone. With inflation and costs of food and basic needs rising, we wanted to contribute to reducing food insecurity in our community to share just some of the abundance we are so grateful to experience."
$5000 each was given to the local food pantry organizations: the Living Well Misson, the HOPE Center Keuka Food Pantry, and Milly’s Pantry. Located just outside of Penn Yan, the winery made a deliberate effort to support Penn Yan food-specific organizations.
The Living Well's mission is to connect people to solutions so they may thrive. Their programs provide emergency access to food, personal hygiene and cleaning products; funds to prevent utility shut-offs and prescription discontinuation; and support for residents navigating grief and cancer diagnoses.
The HOPE Center Keuka Food Pantry is fighting hunger one day at a time. In addition to regular access to healthy food, with assistance from the Keuka Food Pantry, families are able to prepare a special meal for the holidays.
Milly’s Pantry fosters equal opportunity for success, self-sufficiency, and confidence for all Yates County children by providing nourishment and academic support.
In addition, staff members of Keuka Spring volunteered at the Living Well Mission in December on a Salvation Army Food Box Distribution Day, packing lunches, unloading supplies, and sorting and organizing food donations. As the food boxes were being moved from trucks to The Well, there were several people who noticed the efforts of the volunteers and stopped to request their own food box. The Well was able to support these additional requests for food boxes through supplies in their emergency food pantry. The winery staff look forward to doing more volunteering in the upcoming year.
Jan Rosequist and Jill Rank, Tasting Room staff at Keuka Spring, pack grab and go lunches and food disribution boxes at the Living Well Mission. Bill Laffin and Steve Matteson of Keuka Spring also helped pack food distribution boxes at the Living Well.
Cheryl Darn and Erin Mowry of the HOPE Center Keuka Food Pantry receive a donation from Jeanne Wiltberger of Keuka Spring Vineyards. Some of the tenets of the HOPE Center are outlined on the sign behind them.
Sandi Perl, Executive Director of the Living Well Mission, receives Keuka Spring Vineyards' donation from Jeanne Wiltberger.
Carleen Wilson, Board Vice President of Milly's Pantry, holds a check donated by Keuka Spring Vineyards.
Keuka Spring Vineyards has been producing premium wines since 1985. Awards include Winery of the Year, three Governor’s Cups for best New York State wine, two Best White Wine in America awards, and numerous 90+ point ratings in national wine magazines. The Tasting Room overlooking the east side of Keuka Lake at 243 Route 54, East Lake Road, Penn Yan is open for tastings Friday-Sunday from January to March and then daily in April on. For more information on tastings, the Vista wine club, upcoming events, or to order their wines, please visit KeukaSpringWinery.com, or contact the winery at 315-536-3147.