December Giving Tree
We are excited to bring back our Giving Tree initiative. In partnership with four local nonprofit organizations, Lost Acres Vineyard will raise money and awareness for those in need this holiday season. Last year we donated over $1000 to local nonprofits, let's beat that this year!
For every bottle of wine purchased this December, Lost Acres Vineyard will donate $1 to a local nonprofit. At no extra cost, customers can stock up on holiday wine and know that they are giving back to the community at the same time.
As an added twist, customers will get to decide where their dollars will go. All month long, each bottle of Lost Acres wine purchased will earn customers a Token of Gratitude to deposit in the gift box of one of the featured nonprofits. At the end of the month, Lost Acres Vineyard will donate 1$ for each token deposited.
Lost Acres Vineyard has carefully selected four organizations to team up with for this initiative, which will provide aid to veterans, the food-insecure, those going through health crises and homeless animals in our community.
Vineyard customers will have the choice of giving their token to Fresh Access of Granby, One Call Away of Southwick, Bandit’s Place of East Hartland, VetDogs Puppy Prison Program of Somers
Fresh Access
Each year, Fresh Access donates more than six tons of healthy produce raised by Holcomb Farm to more than 1,000 people. Roughly speaking, that’s $25,000 worth of nutritious, local produce annually. Fresh Access works with the following groups
The Wheeler Clinic utilizes Holcomb Farm produce in its community kitchen and in its comprehensive wellness and nutrition programming at their holistic health campus in the Asylum Hill neighborhood;
The Wheeler Clinic utilizes Holcomb Farm produce in its community kitchen and in its comprehensive wellness and nutrition programming at their holistic health campus in the Asylum Hill neighborhood;
- The Hartford-based Hispanic Health Council, whose mission is to improve the health and social well-being of Latinos and other diverse communities;
- The Granby Senior Center, which distributes our produce to Granby’s senior citizens, many of whom are on fixed incomes and do not have easy access to fresh produce;
- The Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen, which serves a weekly community dinner, free-of-charge, to support those in need and to bring the community together;
- The Town of Granby Social Services Department, which identifies food-insecure families from Granby who could benefit from a helping hand;
- The Healing Meals Community Project, which serves healthy, 100 percent organic meals to clients and families who are struggling with a health crisis. These meals are provided free of charge and delivered to the client’s doorstep.
Bandit's Place
In 1982, Liz Bennet went to a dog pound looking for a dog that had been advertised for adoption and came out instead with a smelly, cross-eyed pooch that had to be bathed three times to see her actual colors. She was so afraid that she wouldn't even walk out of that pound.
This trembling little bundle was only about three or four months old but she had been eating food out of broken glass containers and had been severely abused. Over time, Bandit became an inspiration to all who met her. She taught kids who had been abused that fear and mistrust could be overcome with love and understanding. Bandit had a smile (yep, a smile) and intelligence that has never been matched. Liz promised Bandit that she would always do what ever she could to help animals be placed in loving, caring homes, and in that spirit she created Bandit’s Place. Bandit's Place is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing homeless animals and placing them in loving, forever homes. It matters not where they've come from, but it matters greatly where they go.
This trembling little bundle was only about three or four months old but she had been eating food out of broken glass containers and had been severely abused. Over time, Bandit became an inspiration to all who met her. She taught kids who had been abused that fear and mistrust could be overcome with love and understanding. Bandit had a smile (yep, a smile) and intelligence that has never been matched. Liz promised Bandit that she would always do what ever she could to help animals be placed in loving, caring homes, and in that spirit she created Bandit’s Place. Bandit's Place is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing homeless animals and placing them in loving, forever homes. It matters not where they've come from, but it matters greatly where they go.
One Call Away
One Call Away, in Southwick, MA, helps to aid in the prevention of veteran’s suicide and to provide direct financial support when needed. One Call Away accomplishes this mission by providing a hotline to receive calls from veterans in distress. Once contact has been made their goal is to provide a risk free environment by offering anonymous peer support on an individual and group basis and to be able to provide financial support for those in recovery.
The mission of One Call Away is to directly affect the lives of veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The foundation aids in PTSD awareness and to further aid in the prevention of veteran’s suicide.
The mission of One Call Away is to directly affect the lives of veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The foundation aids in PTSD awareness and to further aid in the prevention of veteran’s suicide.
America's Vetdogs
America’s VetDogs mission is to help those who have served our country honorably live with dignity and independence.
In this special program, inmates in Somers Correctional Institute are raising and training puppies who will one day work as service dogs for wounded veterans. In many facilities, incarcerated veterans are participating in the program giving them an emotional connection to their dog’s future handler and partner. Each weekend, puppies go home with a volunteer, these “weekend puppy raisers” teach house manners, socialize them to car rides, traffic noise and visit stores, restaurants and hospitals so that they will be confident wherever their future veteran partner will go. America’s VetDogs then places these highly-skilled service and guide dogs to veterans with physical injuries, PTSD, hearing and vision loss, and seizures.
In this special program, inmates in Somers Correctional Institute are raising and training puppies who will one day work as service dogs for wounded veterans. In many facilities, incarcerated veterans are participating in the program giving them an emotional connection to their dog’s future handler and partner. Each weekend, puppies go home with a volunteer, these “weekend puppy raisers” teach house manners, socialize them to car rides, traffic noise and visit stores, restaurants and hospitals so that they will be confident wherever their future veteran partner will go. America’s VetDogs then places these highly-skilled service and guide dogs to veterans with physical injuries, PTSD, hearing and vision loss, and seizures.
