August 17, 2023 | by Lisa Mattson

These days, it seems as if every day of the month is a holiday, and though we’re thrilled that National Chardonnay Day and National Cabernet Day exist, there are far more important unofficial holidays that deserve our recognition. National Nonprofit Day is one of them. It’s been celebrated today, on August 17, every year since being established by Congress in 1992. Created to recognize and honor the incredible contributions of non-profit organizations, this day serves as a reminder of the unwavering commitment of these organizations to helping those less fortunate and fostering positive change. As one of the leading wine companies that give back, we consider every day to be National Nonprofit Day at Jordan, where proceeds from sales are used throughout the year to help fight the negative effects of poverty. In honor of National Nonprofit Day and the tireless efforts of nonprofit employees and volunteers, we’d like to share the stories of five causes that The John Jordan Foundation, the winery’s philanthropic arm, supports annually. Join us in a toast to a greater cause—helping our most vulnerable communities.

Five Causes to Spotlight – Companies That Give Back Year-Round

woman standing in front of seated guests with yellow chateau in the background.
Jordin Sparks speaking at Jordan Winery’s Starlight Supper with Smile Train Event.

Smile Train

John Jordan likes to say, “The road to success is often paved in smiles.” Many studies have linked a great smile to self-confidence and career success. That’s why our foundation believes investing in children’s dental health is so important. Long before establishing his foundation and making pediatric dentistry a focus cause, John supported Smile Train. The world’s largest cleft-focused organization, Smile Train has supported safe and quality cleft surgeries for more than 1.5 million children—more cleft surgeries than all other charities worldwide combined. Since 1999, the organization has empowered medical professionals in more than 90 countries to provide children with life-changing cleft care that they would not otherwise have been able to access, giving them the chance to smile and embrace life fully. Jordan recently hosted Starlight Supper with Smile Train and Jordin Sparks to raise funds and awareness. Through ticket sales and silent auction lots, the event raised $50,000 to benefit Smile Train. Learn more about Smile Train’s work.

Rendering of the new Boys & Girls club in Healdsburg.

Boys & Girls Club

In 2022, the John Jordan Foundation began an ambitious construction project for a local Boys & Girls Club whose roots run deeper in the Healdsburg community than Jordan’s 50 years. Since 1946, the Boys & Girls Club has provided hope and opportunity for four generations of Healdsburg and Geyserville youth. Its clubhouse on Piper Street is central to the organization’s mission—a safe, positive place that has kept its doors open daily to kids for more than 75 years, helping local children reach their full potential with nourishment and enrichment. Today, more than 23,000 free meals are served to kids and more than 180 high-quality learning programs are provided in Healdsburg annually. Our local club, which John Jordan fondly remembers visiting as a kid, is in need of extensive renovations and service upgrades. As long-time supporter of this venerable nonprofit, the John Jordan Foundation pledged $1.5 million as the lead gift in the capital campaign to fund the construction of a new club in Healdsburg. Learn more about the Healdsburg club campaign. Our support for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America extends beyond Sonoma County; we teamed up with award-winning country music singer/songwriter/producer Jon Pardi to host the Jordan Big Bottle Pardi in Nashville during our 50th anniversary Social Impact Summer to benefit the local Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee.

Two women sitting at a table in front of a laptop discussing the TALLK program through the John Jordan Foundation

Council on Aging

The Council on Aging works to enhance the quality of life for our aging community by providing social, financial, legal and nutritional services that promote well-being and maintaining independence. Meals on Wheels is an important program managed by the Council on Aging in Sonoma County. Since the pandemic, they’ve launched a Companion Lunch Program for Meals on Wheels clients, which matches them with a volunteer who will come to their home to share a meal and great conversation. They also organize Community Tables to bring seniors together for meals, games, and other programs that extend beyond food and fun. They serve over 6,000 seniors annually, providing 195,000 home-delivered meals and daily check-ins to 2,000 frail and isolated older adults keeping them safe, nourished and socially connected. Learn more about the Council on Aging.

Silent auction display at Gather in the Garden 50th Anniversary Event in Denver, Colorado.

Clayton Early Learning

The Jordans lived in Denver when the founded the winery in 1972, so when it came time to celebrate Jordan’s 50th anniversary in 2022, we naturally took the party to Denver and made Clayton Early Learning the beneficiary of our events. Established in 1911, Clayton Early Learning has a rich history of over a century in promoting early childhood development and creating a positive impact on the communities in Denver, Colorado. The core mission of Clayton Early Learning is to ensure that all children, regardless of their socio-economic background, have access to high-quality early education, support and nourishment. More than $120,000 was raised at Jordan’s Social Impact Summer for CEL’s health and wellness programs, which serve 500 of the more than 7,000 Denver children who are living below the poverty line. Learn more about Clayton Early Learning’s work.

two dogs walking around dog shelter on green grass
Photography provided by Soi Dog Foundation.

Soi Dog Foundation

“We believe it’s important to lift one another up and support the most vulnerable members of our community, and that extends to our four-legged friends,” John Jordan says. The John Jordan Foundation has partnered with Soi Dog Foundation for several years to help the millions of dogs and cats living on the streets of Asia. Soi Dog was established in 2003 in Phuket, Thailand, through the vision of founders John and Gill Dalley. At that time, more than 70,000 strays roamed the island, and the numbers were growing at an alarming rate due to a lack of spay and neuter programs. The Dalleys created Soi Dog to provide a sustainable solution for managing the stray population, addressing the animals’ medical needs and improving conditions for both the animal and human communities. Since its founding 30 years ago, Soi Dog has neutered and vaccinated more than 800,000 stray dogs and cats throughout Thailand. With 12 full-time mobile teams, the organization is now treating around 17,000 dogs and cats each month, more than any other organization in the world. With no government funding, Soi Dog runs entirely on donations. Learn more about their work.

John Jordan speaking at 50th Anniversary Social Impact Dinner in Denver, Colorado.

The John Jordan Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Over the last decade, the John Jordan Foundation has worked to improve the quality of life for those most underserved by investing in projects that support early childhood development, youth enrichment programs and scholarships for first-generation college students. The foundation is also proud to support pediatric dental initiatives, meals for seniors and mental health programs for families. Today is a reminder of all of the good these nonprofit organizations have done—and all of the vital work that lies ahead.

To learn more about The John Jordan Foundation, visit its website.