Back to Latest NewsNew York, NY – The Roots Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities in the wine and spirits industry, will host its fourth annual The Roots Fund Charity Auction dinner on October 26th at 6 pm at Crown Club at Barclays Center. The evening will be supported by Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment (BSE), parent company of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty and Barclays Center. Premiere auction house Zachys will run the live auction for the fourth year, and additional support for the evening will come from sponsors Louis Roederer, Grand Cru Selections, Lingua Franca, and Philliponnat.
Event tickets, which include an intimate wine experience, a four-course dinner, and live auction, are available online, starting at $550. The Roots Fund team has assembled an auction of once-in-a-lifetime wine and spirits experiences, including trips to Champagne, Burgundy, Oregon, Ireland, and Italy that few wine fans will ever have access to.
“In this current economy, the beverage industry is heavily affected, and our work has become more critical than ever,” said Ikimi Dubose-Woodson, Founder and CEO of The Roots Fund. “We're grateful for our BSE partnership and their continued commitment to our work. The Roots Fund is relentless in making an impact to last a lifetime in the hospitality community. The money we raise at this event will go directly toward job training, educational scholarships and career enrichment opportunities.”
“Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment is committed to building inclusive experiences that reflect the diversity and creativity of our community,” said Shanon Ferguson, Chief Hospitality Officer, BSE Global. “Through Brooklyn Hospitality Group and our new Brooklyn Wine Club, we’re expanding access to the world of wine, and our support of The Roots Fund builds on that mission by helping create a more equitable future for the wine and spirits industry.” Shanon Ferguson.
The host for the evening will be Emmy and James Beard-nominated Jermaine “Wolf of Wine” Stone of Street Somm on Tastemade.
The four-course dinner will feature food prepared by famed chefs: Charlie Mitchell of SAGA, Danny Garcia of Kent Hospitality Group, and Demetrius Brown of Bread & Butterfly, and Livio Velardo of The Crown Club.
The evening, which has become a must-attend for the beverage industry, will feature incredible wines and the producers behind them — including Guillaume d'Angerville, Frédéric Savart, Eva Fricke, Maya Dalla Valle, Elena Currado, Jean-Marc Sélèque, GuillaumeLavollée, Château Lafleur, Edouard Vocoret, and more.
Key moments of the evening include:
● The night will be presented in the spirit of La Paulée de Meursault, a Burgundian harvest party for the local community. Guests are encouraged to bring wine from their cellars to share with other diners.
● The sommelier team for the evening will be led by Roots Fund scholars under the wine direction of Amy Wright.
● Live auction, led by Jermaine Stone.
Proceeds from the event will directly support The Roots Fund mission to empower underrepresented communities within the wine and spirits industry by building successful careers through financial support, education, mentorship, and career development, fostering their long-term success in all aspects of the beverage industry.
Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, The Brooklyn Nets, and New York Liberty Foundation are dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals of all ages by focusing on health, wellness, and creating a more equitable society. They are pleased to support the important work of The Roots Fund, which is expanding access for communities of color in the wine industry and thereby creating a more inclusive beverage industry.
