A Hoboken-based AIDS service group will hold its fifth annual Grand Holiday Wine Tasting this Thursday, Nov. 29. For a $45 tax deductible charity donation, wine novices and connoisseurs alike will be able to swirl and sip quality wines between 7 and 10 p.m. at Bissinger Hall at the Steven Institute of Technology. In addition, food will be provided by local establishments.
All proceeds will go to FAITH (Franciscan AIDS Initiative to Help) Services, an organization that provides services and counseling to sufferers of HIV/AIDS all over Hudson County.
More than 60 vendors will be on hand to serve more than 350 of the finest wines, as well as an excellent selection of high-end spirits such as scotch and cognac, and a wide assortment of imported beers. Food will come from La Isla Restaurant, the Brass Rail and King’s Supermarket.
"This event is the best possible experience to learn about wine," said Michael Garcia, a partner at Sparrow Wine and Liquor, the lead sponsor of the event. "Every person that will be serving the wine is a wine expert who will be able to answer any question that a novice might have."
One aspect that is new to this year’s event is the inclusion of a room full of spirits. "This is something that is new and is something that we are very excited about," said Garcia. "There will be $100 bottles of scotches that people can try. Scotches that have great taste and are produced in very small batches. For $45 it’s a really a great deal."
The yearly event draws between 300 and 400 people. In the past it has raised well over $10,000 annually for FAITH Services. This year’s honorary chairman is Mayor David Roberts.
Founded in 1988, FAITH is the largest and most diversified provider of services to persons infected with HIV in Hudson County.
The agency has five county annexes. They are located in Hoboken, Jersey City, Union City and Kearny.
In Hoboken, the annex is located at 307 Willow Ave. directly across the street from St. Mary Hospital. FAITH is one of the two major case management service providers in the county. The agency operates the county’s emergency programs, which provide medicine, emergency housing, utility assistance, rental assistance and food. These services are available to all infected persons in the county who are active in case management.
In 1999, over $2 million of services were provided to clients without any charge because of grants from the Ryan White Title I, Bon Secours Foundation, United Way and private foundations and donors.
"We are really a client centered, client driven organization," said John Lorenzo, the executive director of FAITH Services, Wednesday. "HIV is unique in that every client we have is in a different place, so every single person needs care that is suited for their individual needs. For some, nothing more is needed than a support group, but for others they may need help reconciling with their family or help with their rent or food to put on their table. We let the client evaluate where they are and we let them decide how we can help them."
FAITH Services case managers serve over 1,000 infected persons and their families annually. Their more than 30 full-time employees in Hudson County not only ensure routine medical care, education, support and access to medications, but they also refer clients to other needed services within the agency and to other service providers.
The services that are available to clients include entitlement/benefit assistance and counseling, support groups, and AIDS/HIV education.
And to improve the quality of life of their clients, the services also provides such supplemental assistance such as the Fourth Week Food program, which gives money to clients the last week of the month, and emergency housing.
"The wine-tasting event has gotten better every year, and I really have to thank Sparrow for their dedication and hard work and Stevens for donating the space for free," said Lorenzo. "Without the hard work of the volunteers, this event would never get off the ground, and we are indebted to them all."
Tickets will be available at the door for $45. For more information or presale tickets, call Sparrow Wine and Liquor Co. at 659-1500 or 659-1501. Or call FAITH Services at 792-6161 or visit them at 307 Willow Ave.