Auction of Washington Wines Grant Pt 1

Auction of Washington Wines Grant Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. Aside from the tens-of-millions of dollars’ worth of research that the Auction of Washington Wines has funded over its 32 years of existence, they also help smaller groups through grants.

Executive Director Jaime Peha says for each of the past three years, they’ve awarded an industry grant to an organization that provide services directly impacting Washington wine …

PEHA … “So, this year our grant recipient was La Casa Hogar, which is an organization located in the Yakima area that offers education for Latina farm workers and wine grape growers and pickers and wine producers and their families.”

As to what went into the decision to create these industry grants, Peha says …

PEHA … “Originally, the grant idea came up as a way for the Auction to directly impact small organizations who are really directly supporting the growers and farm workers in the industry.”

So, for the past few years, Peha says they selected groups they felt directly impacted their local and state wine industries …

PEHA … “In 2017, it went to SOS Health Services of Walla Walla. And then, in 2018, it went to the Walla Walla Community College Institute for Enology and Viticulture. So, I mean, I think it kind of shows, you know, what the purpose of this grant is, to really directly impact small organizations.”

This year’s grant, awarded to La Casa Hogar was for $15,000.

Peha says they are thrilled to be awarding this year’s grant to a program that supports education for workers who make some of our state’s most celebrated wines.

Tune in tomorrow for more.

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