Every year, this letter is a chance to look back and say thank you.
This year, it’s also a chance to look ahead with clear eyes.
First, the looking back.
Over the past year, you helped us do work we’re deeply proud of. Together, we launched a Safety Net Fund to sustain critical services for children, working families, and seniors. We published research to help residents better understand the local nonprofit sector and the economic contributions of immigrants. And we awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to some of our most promising high school graduates.
Now, the looking ahead.
The wine industry has been the primary engine of our community’s prosperity for the last 40 years, and it’s changing. Those shifts are rippling outward to vineyard workers, growers, vintners, and a host of adjacent small businesses. Many are feeling the pinch, and the road ahead will not be easy.
But Napa Valley has been tested before.
Earthquakes. Fires. Floods. The pandemic. Each time, people across the Valley rolled up their sleeves and found a way through, together.
Generosity, grit, innovation, a sense of common purpose — these qualities are the bedrock of our community, and all are showcased in the stories that follow.
Thank you for your partnership, generosity, and trust. We’ve seen what our community can do when we show up for one another.
Because of this, we look ahead with open eyes as well as confidence.
Sincerely,
Terence Mulligan, President & CEO
Pete Richmond, Board Chair