Local industry-leading guest management platform gives back with unique “Pass the Buck” program and other fundraising initiatives supporting regional nonprofits
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, OCTOBER 1, 2019 – CellarPass, the leading guest management platform for the alcohol beverage industry, celebrates 10 years of giving back to local community organizations from around the country. For over a decade, CellarPass has partnered with local non-profits and co-produces many local charity events, raising money and awareness for great causes nationwide. To date, over $1.1 million has been raised through a variety of CellarPass events, programs and corporate charity initiatives.
Through the “Pass the Buck” program, CellarPass offers non-profit organizations a ticketing platform that donates the $0.99 per ticket fee back to the non-profit organization. As one of their most successful and popular programs, over $30,000 has been raised through the “Pass the Buck” program.
CellarPass co-produces charity events with companies like Yelp several times a year that not only raises awareness of the local non-profits, but also donates all the proceeds from the ticket sales directly back to the charity chosen for each event. One of the most recent events CellarPass co-produced with Yelp took place at the Vista Collina Resort in the Napa Valley that raised nearly $3000 for Connolly Ranch, whose mission is to connect children and families to nature through farm-based education, encouraging the next generation of environmental stewards. Nearly 250 Yelp Elite members and VIPs enjoyed an afternoon of wine tasting, lite bites, live music and an opportunity to meet some of the ranch animals, with all proceeds going to support Connolly Ranch and its important youth programs.
“Yelp has had the pleasure of partnering with CellarPass on countless events over the last 5 years, both big and small. From our Grape Gatsby party at DeLoach Vineyards to our recent Summer Splash at Vista Collina Resort, we’ve been able to introduce Yelpers near & far to the finest properties in Napa and Sonoma,” said Kevin Blum, Yelp North Bay Senior Community Director. “Best of all, through our partnership with CellarPass, we’ve helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for local non-profits – from local animal shelters to Special Olympics”, continues Blum. “Wine tasting events are always fun, but they’re even more special when you know that you’re giving back to the local community.”
CellarPass also supports the community in other ways. In 2015 they launched an online donation campaign to raise funds for Wine Country Animal Lovers (WCAL), in response to the Valley Fire that stretched from Cobb Mountain to Hidden Valley Lake where thousands of animals were displaced. Wine Country Animal Lovers and their volunteers were working round the clock to evacuate, rescue & treat animals, large and small, that were affected by the devastating fires. CellarPass quickly jumped at the opportunity to raise much-needed funds to help pay for the costs associated to relocating, treating and feeding the displaced animals. The donation campaign was highly successful and even momentarily crashed WCAL’s website by driving so much traffic to the site by those wishing to donate.
More recently, CellarPass provided four 2019 Passport to Sonoma County Wine Country Wine Tasting Passes to Sonoma County’s Mentor Me organization for their August charity event, raising in excess of $1000. There are countless similar stories that demonstrate CellarPass’ dedication to supporting local businesses and charities and they are always looking for more organizations to work with.
“Giving back and supporting the communities we work in has been an important aspect of CellarPass since day one,” explained CellarPass co-founder Jonathan Elliman. “Both Sarah and I grew up in Northern California wine country and our families were directly affected by the recent fires,” continues Elliman. “It’s just one way a local company can support other local organizations, families and communities. When the Valley fire first broke, we dropped everything and reached out to find out what we could do. We set up the very-first media center at the Calistoga Fairgrounds in partnership with Comcast so effected families could watch the local news. Some found it was the only way they could confirm if their home survived or not – it was heart wrenching, but truly satisfying supporting our local community.”
By continuing to offer these fundraising opportunities and partnerships, CellarPass will continue to raise money and awareness for non-profit organizations across the country. For more information on CellarPass giving back programs, contact Sarah Elliman, co-founder and CEO of CellarPass at selliman@cellarpass.com.
About CellarPass
Celebrating 10 years, CellarPass is the leading real-time guest management platform designed for tasting rooms that offers visitors an easy way to buy tickets and book reservations, online or through a mobile-friendly website. Headquartered in San Francisco, with local offices in Paso Robles, Seattle and Napa Valley, CellarPass offers enterprise-level guest management platform for the alcohol industry that allows the leading wineries, breweries and distilleries a tool that enhances the visitor experience while building long-lasting relationships. For more information about CellarPass, visit www.cellarpass.com. Follow CellarPass on Facebook at facebook.com/cellarpass, on Twitter at twitter.com/cellarpass and on Instagram at instagram.com/cellarpass to get fresh updates.
