Constellation Brands has a long tradition of giving back to the communities where its people live and work. The company’s founder, Marvin Sands, made this an integral part of Constellation’s values from the beginning and what truly brings to life the company’s commitment to giving back is the passion shown by its employees.

Constellation Brands’ Nourishing Neighbors initiative, started in 2014, enhances the local, grassroots efforts of its employees to fight hunger through a unified, company-wide strategy to make an even bigger difference. Nourishing Neighbors 2018, held during September, was a great success with approximately 1,000 employees across the globe donating time, funds and thousands of pounds of food to local causes, including $75,000 donated to Blessings in a Backpack to provide more than 20,000 hunger free weekends for children.

Thank you to the employees of Constellation Brands for another successful year of Nourishing Neighbors!

Here are ways that employees across the globe participated:

High Point, North Bloomfield Rd., Canandaigua Winery:

• There was a new record of 300 employees who volunteered their time throughout the month of Giving Back.
• At Foodlink, Constellation volunteers packed boxes of needed supplies and non-perishable food items in the warehouse, tended the Foodlink Community Garden, and weighed and inspected 200 pallets of food.
• Groups of volunteers helped Blue Star Mother’s weekly meals by serving and interacting with Veterans.
• Employees helped at the Clark Meadows assisted living facility by serving food, dancing, and going to happy hour with members.

The Hogue Cellars, Washington

• Four employees volunteered at Prosser Food Bank by helping bag 732 pounds of chicken nuggets into zip lock bags.
• The Hogue Winery conducted a month-long food drive throughout the month of September, collecting 80 pounds of food. They will continue the food drive into October.

Black Velvet Distillery, Lethbridge, Alberta

• Black Velvet employees collected 249 pounds of non-perishable food from September 10 to September 21 for the local food bank.

Napa Offices, California

• Employees donated 3,839 pounds of food this year and filled 17 food barrels.

San Francisco Office, California

• Throughout the month, San Francisco office employees participated in San Francisco-Marin Food Bank shifts where five volunteers bagged 855 pounds of rice, and 13 volunteers packed 12,000 pounds of plums.
• The office conducted a Blessings in a Backpack packing session held in the office where 30 volunteers packed 750 backpacks full of food and school supplies for the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco.
• Volunteers worked on Project Open Hand where eight volunteers chopped 800 servings of yams.

Ruffino Winery, Italy

• The Italian winery had more than 30 employees collect food for Caritas, a local association that helps individuals with serious economic issues by donating food, clothes and medicines.

Madera Office, California

• This year, the Madera office had a new record of 14 volunteers participate in the month of Giving Back.
• Three teams of employees had a friendly competition and collected and donated 2000 pounds of non-perishable food to local food banks.

Grapevine, Texas

• All employees in Grapevine donated money through Bright Funds for the ongoing aid of the 2017 natural disaster, Hurricane Harvey, which impacted the Gulf Coast.

Ballast Point, San Diego

• Thirty Ballast Point employees hosted a Blessings in a Backpack event and packed 750 bags with school supplies and food for local Doris Miller Elementary students.
• Ballast Point also partnered with local non-profit organization No Kid Hungry to donate $1 from every kid meal sold at the Ballast Point restaurants.

Robert Mondavi Winery, California

• Thirty Robert Mondavi Winery employees packed 750 backpacks full of food and school supplies for an onsite Blessings in a Backpack event. The backpacks were donated to the Don Fisher Boys & Girls club.

Woodbridge Winery, California

• Woodbridge employees will host a Blessings in a Backpack packing event on October 17 where 30 employees plan to pack 500 backpacks with food and school supplies to donate to local Creekside Elementary school.

Mission Bell Winery, California

• Mission Bell Winery participated in a Food Drive which has a current total of 2,222 pounds of non-perishable food collected.
• Forty-five employees volunteered at the local food bank where they sorted food, handed out food-making bags, and made emergency boxes for families in need.
• The winery also participated in a Blessing in a Backpack event where 500 backpacks were packed with food and school supplies and donated to local schools.

The Gonzales and Estancia Wineries, California

• The Gonzales and Estancia wineries partnered up on Friday, September 14 and volunteered at the Monterey County Food Bank’s Family Market Day.
• The Family Market Day operates like a farmer’s market but without charge and provides an ideal venue for visitors to receive information on nutrition and other health and human service programs available to Monterey County residents. Food distributed consisted of fresh locally grown produce, fruits and vegetables. The group assisted in passing out food throughout the morning to more than 200 families.

Chicago, Illinois

• The Beer Division offices in Chicago conducted a book drive for Shields Elementary school.
• Chicago employees also participated in a Blessings in a Backpack packing event where they packed food and supplies into 500 backpacks to donate to Shields Elementary. The Chicago office supports the Shields’ Blessings in a Backpack Program year-round by packing bags in their office.

Funky Buddha Brewery, Florida

• Thirty Funky Buddha brewery employees participated in a Blessings in a Backpack packing event where they packed 500 backpacks that they donated to Davie Elementary School.

Mexico

In our Mexico offices, employees raised money for some amazing local causes:

• Mexico City: Employees donated to the Casa del Árbol de la Vida shelter for incurable patients who are in abandonment situations.
• Nava: Employees donated to the Casa Hogar Familia de Nazaret orphanage.
• Mexicali: Employees donated to Casa Hogar BETESDA, a rehabilitation center for people in unfortunate situations.
• Obregon: Employees donated to Patronato Pro Centro de Rehabilitación Integral, a rehabilitation center for adults, adolescents and children with some type of disability.
• Each location had a goal of 1,000 kilos of food and they were all able to achieve the goal.

San Antonio, Texas

• The San Antonio office donated 204 pounds of food to a local food bank.
• Employees also worked four-hour shifts throughout the month at a local food bank.
• On September 27, the team sorted and repacked 18,129 pounds of bread.

Marlborough, New Zealand

• Fifteen employees from the Awatere Vineyards helped at the Seldon School garden which was affected by the Seddon earthquakes. They were able to flatten, mulch, and plant in the front garden. They also planted in the school produce garden for kids to take home fresh vegetables.
• The same group landscaped, planted trees, and gardened throughout the month.
• Another group helped paint the new office for the Salvation Army and spruced up the local hospice care.
• Participation from the Marlborough area employees was 90%.

Auckland, New Zealand

• Representatives of our Auckland office were involved in a HEART activity to help at a Special Olympics Basketball day at The Trusts Stadium in Henderson.
• Because of their support, 42 additional lunches went to students in low decile schools across Auckland.
• Hawkes Bay Winery staff baked up a storm on in the staff lunch room and made cake, slice, cupcakes and cookies for delivery to CanTeen, Hastings to brighten some children’s days.