Tourism philanthropy takes many forms
Sonoma County's hospitality businesses give back to the local community in many ways -- providing space to local non-profits, donating event and performance tickets to underprivileged families and youth, fundraising for educational programs, serving on local nonprofit boards and committees, donating silent auction items to myriad fundraisers throughout the county, paying employees to volunteer for local causes, and more. 
 
This month, we're highlighting some of the local products where part or all of the proceeds help specific groups, both here and abroad. It's a great reminder of the generous nature of our industry. 
 
A recent study by the national Tourism Cares program (see below) demonstrates that many travelers also have the desire to contribute to the communities they visit.
 
As part of Sonoma County Tourism's commitment to sustainability and community, we recently launched a ground-breaking partnership with Kind Traveler, the first socially conscious "Give + Get" hotel booking and education platform (see details below) to empower our visitors  to make a positive impact on the local community and environment while visiting Sonoma County. 
 
It's both encouraging and exciting to see all the ways that tourism supports both this community and others around the world.
 
As we forge ahead in this spirit of stewardship, we build a better Sonoma County to work, live, and share with our visitors. 
 

Nicole Bradin
Director of Community Engagement
Sonoma County Tourism
TAKE A SURVEY; BE ENTERED TO WIN
Win a Safari Adventure for Four, Broadway Under the Stars VIP Tickets and more

Hospitality business owners or managers: Please help SCT determine the impact of hospitality philanthropy in Sonoma County by participating in the 2019 Hospitality Business Philanthropy Study.
 
We need your information to get accurate results from the survey. To access the survey, please click here. You may skip a question or choose "Does Not Apply."
 
Complete the survey to be entered into a drawing to win one of the following prizes:
  • Grand Prize: Safari Adventure for two adults and two children and a $75 gift certificate to Homerun Pizza in Larkfield
  • VIP performance tickets: Two VIP tickets to the Friday, Aug. 23 performance of Broadway Under the Stars, in Jack London State Park
  • Soar through the redwoods: Two passes for a Sonoma Canopy Tours zipline experience
  • Treat yourself: A Life Opens Up wellness box, from SCT, containing local handmade products (the drawing will include two gift-box giveaways)
  • $25 Visa gift card
We appreciate your participation.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
SAVE THE DATE: Sonoma County Coastal and Russian River Watershed Cleanup Day - Sept. 21, 2019
Sonoma County Tourism Cares is proud to partner with Coastwalk/California Coastal Trail Association, Clean River Alliance, and Russian Riverkeeper for the Sonoma County Coastal and Russian River Watershed Cleanup Day on Sept. 21, 2019.

Our river and coastline are treasured by Sonoma County visitors and residents alike, so let's do our part to help restore its beauty and protect its environment for everyone.

Look for an upcoming Tourism Cares Volunteer Opportunity email with details, including how to register for coast or river cleanup. 

We're hoping our Sonoma County hospitality industry will help us set a new Tourism Cares volunteer record for these worthy events.

Please save the date.
VISITORS GIVE BACK: Kind Traveler
Sonoma County Tourism entered into a partnership with Kind Traveler, the first socially conscious "Give + Get" hotel booking and education platform. This will provide visitors with a way to make a positive impact on the local community and the environment.

Visitors can access exclusive rates and special perks by booking directly with Kind Traveler and its curated list of "Kind Hotels." A $10-a-night donation, paid for by the visitor, will go to a designated local charity that positively impacts Sonoma County.

Participating lodging properties include Farmhouse Inn, Timber Cove Resort, Vintners Inn, Hyatt Regency Sonoma, Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa, The Sandman Hotel, and Hotel E. 

Staying at these properties will support one of three Sonoma County-based charities that make a positive impact. 

A $10 donation to Redwood Empire Food Bank helps provide 20 meals. A $10 donation to Russian Riverkeeper helps clean 250 pounds of trash out of the Russian River. A $10 donation to Sonoma Land Trust helps maintain one mile of hiking trails.

KUDOS TO ...
Wine for good causes ...
Some winemakers express their support for a particular cause through their wine, dedicating all of the profits of an exclusive wine to their favorite cause. Here are just two examples.

Black Kite Cellars:  Africa Quest wine


The folks at Black Kite Cellars donate wine and provide support for a number of non-profits, and have been involved with the Donald and Maureen Green Music Center at Sonoma State University, the Santa Rosa Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, and numerous other music-oriented organizations. 

They also have a passion for wildlife and for Africa, so in fall 2018 they launched Africa Quest, a special blend of Pinot Noir created by winemaker Jeff Gaffner. All profits from the sale of Africa Quest go to African non-government organizations (NGOs) supporting both wildlife conservation and the local communities who share their lands.

Halleck Vineyards:  Find Your Light Pinot Noir

Ross Halleck and Josh Grobin teamed up to create wine for charity.
Several years ago, winemaker Ross Halleck received a phone call from multi-platinum singer-songwriter Josh Groban, a fan of Halleck's wine. 

The ultimate result was the 2015 Find Your Light Pinot Noir, which Halleck and Groban produced together. 

There were only 140 cases made of this Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. All the profits from the sale of this wine go to the singer's Find Your Light Foundation, which supports arts education programs for those kids most in need throughout North America.  The organization has contributed to seven schools in California and many more across the U.S. 
Helping out with beer ...
Sonoma County's craft brewing community often supports local charities and those in need. Here are two examples of how buying local beers also helps community groups. 

St. Florian's Brewery

Aron and Amy Levin of St. Florian's Brewery.

St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters and its co-founder and chief operating officer Aron Levin is a Sonoma County fire captain, so it's only natural that St. Florian's Brewery in Windsor donates a minimum of 5% of its profits to fire-related and community based organizations. 

The brewery's 48/96 Session Ale is named for a typical firefighter's schedule, with 48 hours on duty followed by four days of recovery. 

Donations have gone to (along with many other groups) the Bodega Bay Firefighters Association, California State Firefighters Association, Calistoga Firefighters Association, Firefighters Burn Institute, Geyserville Volunteer Firefighters Association, Half Moon Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Livermore Pleasanton Firefighter Foundation, Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, Novato Fire Foundation, Oakland Firefighters Random Acts, Rancho Adobe Firefighters Association, and Windsor Fire Foundation. 

Sonoma Springs Brewing


In November 2014, a three-alarm fire torched the back of the building in the town of Sonoma where the Sonoma Springs Brewing Company was creating its current brewing facility. 

Grateful for the response by the Sonoma Fire Department that saved their facility, the following year the brewery launched its annual Sottile Red Ale release, with 10% of sales going to the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association. 

Named for a firefighter who was working on the beer project but who passed away in his sleep a few days before the first launch, Sottile Red Ale is a double red ale brewed with Simcoe and Citra hops, for a unique citrus-flavored finish. The first weekend of November, the ale is released with a free party in the brewery's parking lot and taproom.
Vintners Foundation gives $25K to 
Mark West Community Preschool
Efforts to rebuild Mark West Community Preschool got a boost in May in the form of a $25,000 grant from the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. 
 
"After touring the school's temporary facility and seeing what the school has meant to the children, parents, and teachers, we knew that helping Mark West Preschool was of utmost importance for this community," said Michael Haney, executive director for Sonoma County Vintners.
 
Scheduled to open in June 2020, the new school will be made of steel and fire resistant materials, and will serve as a model for the community. The building is planned to be energy efficient and solar powered, and will include rainwater catchment systems, heated flooring, and ample natural light. The glass walls, windows, and skylights will allow children to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside. 

This is just one example of how the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation reaches out to help the community. Overall, the Vintners Foundation is distributing more than $1.1 million in community grants to more than 60 local nonprofit organizations. The funds come from the 2018 Sonoma County Wine Auction.

The foundation also donated $50,000 to United Way of the Wine Country to support flood recovery and relief efforts in Sonoma County, which United Way will use as to match gifts made by all other donors to its Sonoma County Flood Recovery & Wellness Fund. Gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations are eligible for this match. 
Spring cleaning at Spring Lake
Sonoma County Tourism Cares volunteers pick up litter among the local residents at Spring Lake. 
In honor of National Travel and Tourism Week, on Thursday, May 9, 45 volunteers put in a combined total of 135 hours picking up litter along the shores of the 72-acre lake at Spring Lake Regional Park. 

Particular attention was paid to collecting discarded fishing line, which is hazardous to the abundant wildlife that live in and frequent the park's open space. 

Special thanks go to Stefanie Richardson, group relations coordinator at Foley Family Wines, for her contribution to the celebratory picnic lunch that followed the work session.
Helping out at Left Edge Theatre
Volunteers helped Left Edge Theatre prepare for new show. 
Eight volunteers worked for a combined total of nearly 24 hours on Monday, April 22, at the Left Edge Theatre, at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. 

In addition to helping tear down an old set and build a new one, the volunteers also cleaned and organized the backstage dressing room and props. 

Continuing the tradition of The New Actors' Theatre, Left Edge Theatre produces daring plays imaginatively staged for adventurous audiences.  
TOURISM CARES  NATIONALLY

Studying how much U.S. travelers give
 
As the philanthropic arm of the travel industry, it's important for the national Tourism Cares program to understand the philanthropic motivations of travelers -- so they commissioned the Good Travels study. 

America has always been considered one of the most generous nations, but the new study provides evidence of that. The data shows that more than half of the Americans surveyed have given of their money, time, or goods while on a recent vacation. 

Not only was some kind of giving surprisingly prevalent, the care and support for the communities where the travelers visited was especially important for millennials, families, and affluent households.

For more details, visit tourismcares.org/goodtravelsresearch .