Must! Charities receives $162,000 donation

Posted: 7:13 am, September 25, 2013 by Publisher Scott Brennan

Generous gift to be applied to “Real Food for Real Children” commitment with Food Bank Coalition of SLO County

TEMPLETON – Must! Charities announced today a $162,000 donation from The Annual Fund-A-Need Lot at the 2013 Central Coast Wine Classic Auction. The gift will be applied to the charity’s program “Real Food for Real Children”, in partnership with the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.

The Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation was created in 2004 to sustain non-profit foundations in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County whose missions are in the healing, performing or studio arts. From 2004 through 2013, the Foundation has granted $2,311,555 to 114 such non-profits.

“It is very gratifying to be able to support at a substantive level a non-profit whose vision is so far-reaching and whose embracement is so comprehensive,” shared Archie McLaren, Central Coast Wine Classic Founder and Chairman.

“We are honored to be the recipient of the Central Coast Wine Classic’s Fund-A-Need Lot,” stated Becky Gray, executive director of Must! Charities. “The $162,000 gift we’re receiving is the highest amount the auction has ever raised from the Fund-A-Need lot in the history of the annual event, and it will go directly to impacting the children of our community.”

The “Real Food for Real Children” program is designed to meet the need to provide adequate healthy food to all children in North SLO County, especially during the summer months when school is not in session. Created to be 100 percent sustainable within two years, the project will grow from feeding 500 children in need to more than 1,500 by summertime next year and up to 2,500 kids the following year.

“The wine industry has always been a huge supporter of the Central Coast Wine Classic event, and working with us at Must! Charities was a natural fit for this successful auction,” continued Gray. “We are overwhelmed with the amount of support from the bidders and are excited to see the dollars impact lives in our community.”