New Canaan Wine Merchants is hosting a wine tasting event to benefit New Canaan Community Foundation. Please join New Canaan Wine Merchants and Peter Seghesio from the historically significant wine growing family for a tasting of hard-to-find Zinfadels and Italian varietals.

The Seghesio family has a long family tradition in the wine industry. Eduardo Seghesio moved from his native Piedmont to Sonoma Valley in 1886 and by 1900 was buying his own land, planted mostly to Zinfandel. His great grandson, Peter, is carrying on the estate-grown Zinfandel tradition to this day.

Come join us on Friday March 18th from 7 until 8:30pm at New Canaan Wine Merchants, 36 Pine Street. The evening will benefit the NCCF. Attendance is limited to 100 people.

Please RSVP to us at 203-972-0100 or email New Canaan Wine Merchants at info@newcanaanwine.com .

 Philanthropy’s mission is to serve the common good and help our fellow man in time of need. The tragic events in Japan provide us with an opportunity to fulfill this mission.

As daily news reports illustrate the devastation and desperation in Japan from the March 11th earthquake and subsequent tsunami, we can all do our part to support the relief efforts in response to the disaster. Entire villages have vanished and thousands of people are missing. Reports from Japanese authorities estimate fatalities at 10,000 or more. Rescue teams are searching for tsunami survivors in the devastation. 

The most urgent need is financial – to support those organizations that are equipped to provide immediate disaster relief and medical care. There are many international aid agencies working hard to provide this care. Across the nation, Community Foundations are also responding to the recent disaster in Japan, giving their donors recommended options for directing their contributions. 

NCCF shares our community’s deep concern for the people of Japan. We encourage you to donate to those organizations that have experience in disaster relief and an ability to get the needed resources to the country. 

At NCCF we encourage donors to Think Globally, and Give Locally. With that in mind, we recommend supporting the rescue and relief efforts in Japan by donating to AmeriCares. 

AmeriCares, founded in New Canaan and now based in Stamford, is a nonprofit international disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis around the world.  Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $9 billion in humanitarian aid to 137 countries.  

Michelle Jackson, AmeriCares emergency response manager, has arrived in Japan and has begun to assess the most pressing medical needs. Michelle led AmeriCares’ disaster response to the Chile Earthquake in 2010. "Hospitals and institutions are still struggling to evaluate their situation as the government grapples with the huge scale of this disaster; we are assessing the most immediate medical needs," Michelle said.  "We are prepared to support hospitals and health responders with the supplies they need to diagnose, treat and heal survivors." 

For more information about AmeriCares and their work in Japan or to donate to the relief work, please visit their web site www.americares.org .

There is a beehive of charitable activity tucked in the back of St. Mark’s Church in New Canaan.  The area is home to our local food pantry, located underneath Morrill Hall.  More than 160 clients come to “shop” every two weeks to stock up on food, with the help of volunteers.   Generous residents in Town donate food to keep the shelves full, and the regional Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County in Stamford supplements these contributions through regular deliveries using their refrigerated van.  Just steps away is a vegetable garden and fruit tree orchard sited on the level property below the parking lot.  This compact, productive garden was established by volunteers who tend the crops in an effort to supply food pantry clients with healthy fresh fruits and vegetables during the growing season.   Gardening volunteers include numerous parish members, but also a diverse group from our area including local Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and clients with developmental disabilities from STAR, Inc. Lighting the Way.

In addition to a spirit of neighborly goodwill, all of these efforts have something else in common.  Each organization received essential grant funding from the New Canaan Community Foundation (NCCF).   NCCF supported every critical component of this cooperative effort to meet the basic human need of providing nutritious food to needy New Canaan residents.  This work is a wonderful example of collaboration among donors,  local not-for-profit organizations and their staff and volunteers, all working to help local people in need. 

The Women's Initiative at NCCF is hosting a luncheon on February 15 at 12 noon to benefit the Touch A Life Fund.  The Touch A Life Fund was established in 1998 to provide emergency assistance to those in need in New Canaan. To date, over $100,000 from this fund has assisted residents of all ages witht their fuel and rent bills, food expenses, and provided funds for camperships, clothing, school supplies and many other essential items. This Fund is a critical part of the suport system we have in Town for our residents in need.  Supporting this effort directly helps your fellow neighbor.

NCCF would like to recognize the generous underwriting support of Jeanne Gnuse and HTG Investment Advisors.  We woudl also like to acknowledge committee members working to organize the event, chaired by Dorcas Hills and Liza Pohle. Thanks are extended to Paula Addeo, Cindy Charas, Jeanne Gnuse, Diane Hanauer, Kim Healey, Lindsey Heron, Hope Hetherington, Sara Hunt, Cathy Irwin, Kristen Leopold, and Susie Repko.

We are excited that Tony Pavia, retiring New Canaan High School Principal, will be the guest speaker.  Tickets for the Luncheon may be purchased on this website or you may call the office to receive an invitaiton.

On November 11th, jewelry designer Samantha Goldstone of Adesso Jewelry based in Santa Barbara, California held a trunk show at the one-of-a-kind clothing boutique in New Canaan, L'Armoire.  The store’s owner Diane Roth donated ten percent of all clothing sales revenue from the day to NCCF.   Their generous donation of $1,250 was a wonderful gift as the Foundation continues its important annual appeal.  Year-end gifts to the Foundation determine the grant-making budget for the upcoming year, and all contributions are gratefully accepted.    

NCCF is especially appreciative for this opportunity to participate in this unique charitable partnership with a terrific local business.   Pictured in the photo are (l - r): Samantha Goldstone, Adesso Jewelry; Diane Roth, L’Armoire;  and Cynthia Gorey, NCCF Executive Director.