Virtual Tasting Concierge Service to Donate Percentage of Proceeds to Foundation in an Effort to Continue to Support Sommeliers Across the Country with Financial Assistance
San Francisco, Calif. December 9, 2020 — United Sommeliers Foundation was founded in March 2020 to support those in the wine industry negatively impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic through no fault of their own. As restaurants close their doors once more in a second round of regional stay-at-home orders many sommeliers will be seeking assistance this holiday. For this reason, The United Sommeliers Foundation is continuing to look for new avenues to drive donations and take applications for initial grants for sommeliers who may be in need.
The Supper Share — a concierge service that connects wine-loving consumers to Sommeliers for personalized, professionally guided virtual wine tastings — announces partnership with the United Sommeliers Foundation. The Supper Share is a proud supporter of the United Sommeliers Foundation and has pledged to donate a portion of each month’s proceeds to the foundation in a continued effort to support sommeliers out of work due to circumstances beyond their control.
“The United Sommelier Foundation is happy to have The Supper Share as a partner and donor, to not only continue to contribute to the foundation but also to raise awareness with all Supper Share participants,” says Jon McDaniel, Secretary of the United Sommeliers Foundation.
Created during the global COVID-19 crisis, The United Sommeliers Foundation has a core mission to financially aid those in the wine community—primarily sommeliers and others within the hospitality sector of the industry—who are experiencing a pause or termination of employment due to circumstances beyond their control. A rapid response to the needs of the sommelier community in America, the fundraiser’s founding team includes a handful of Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, and other beverage professionals.
“The United Sommeliers Foundation has a similar mission to The Supper Share, so they are a perfect partner for us,” comments The Supper Share Founder, Juliana Colangelo. “We’re happy to be able to reach an even greater number of sommeliers through their organization.” Included in each virtual event’s cost is a percentage donation to the United Sommeliers Foundation, on top of the fee going to the host sommelier, with fees ranging from $150-300 per event and around 20-30 events per month.
The United Sommeliers Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that is in the process of filing an application for federal tax exempt status with the IRS. If the organization receives a favorable Determination Letter from the IRS, its status as a 501(c)(3) organization will relate back to its date of inception and all contributions made to the corporation since inception will qualify as tax-deductible charitable donations.
The United Sommeliers Foundation is a charitable organization whose mission is to provide immediate financial assistance to Sommeliers experiencing a pause or termination of employment due to circumstances beyond their control. The organization assists sommeliers nationwide and was founded by several of the industry’s leading experts with more than 100 years combined experience and knowledge. The organization’s goal is to positively impact the wine industry and the sommelier community for years to come. Please visit www.
About The Supper Share
The Supper Share is a concierge service that connects Sommeliers with wine loving consumers for personalized virtual wine tasting experiences. The Supper Share was conceived by Juliana Colangelo just after the Covid-19 lockdown started as a means to support the Sommelier community and connect wine drinkers virtually with the vast and wonderful world of wine.
About Colangelo & Partners
Colangelo & Partners specializes in premium food, wine and spirits brands, and has long established relationships with the key press that drive these business categories and help determine the industry leaders. Agency principals have years of experience in retail and distribution as well as communications, a rare combination that gives Colangelo & Partners invaluable insights into consumer purchasing behavior. The agency focuses on ‘closing the loop’ between creative communications programs, distribution, promotion, publicity and the consumer in order to maximize the efficiency of its communications programs and deliver measurable results. Founded in 2006, Colangelo & Partners was honored as one of the year’s top integrated communications firms at the 2013 Agency Elite Awards and for one of the best digital marketing campaigns at the 2014 Digital PR Awards.
