Hello my dear friends! I hope you are having a beautiful Christmas! It's Wednesday again, so here we are to talk a bit about what's been going on with The Wine Chaser.
Today's blog is about a very special organization founded in 1989 by Hispanic entrepreneurs. This is the National Association of Supermarkets whose annual gala has just been held. Thanks to the sustained support of all the wineries we work with, The Wine Chaser had the opportunity to participate and in doing so we learned more about the mission of the NSA and its enormous contribution not only to independent supermarkets and their suppliers, but, more importantly, to the communities in which they are located.
Colleagues Elizabeth Campos, Andrés Ron, Idania Gonzalez and Enrique Ysusi at the 2021 NSA Gala.
The NSA is a trade association that represents the interest of independent supermarket owners in New York and other urban cities throughout the East coast, Mid-Atlantic region and Florida. Beginning in the mid seventies, these entrepreneurs had the courage of opening supermarkets in areas abandoned by the large chains, as they were economically depressed and mostly minority neighborhoods. These men and women had the vision and the commitment to fill a vacuum in those communities, at a time when the term “food desert” had not even been coined. Currently, many NSA members continue to serve those areas by offering healthy foods and full service supermarkets.
In Florida the association has grown dramatically in the last two decades and currently provides its members hands on representation in both the private and public sectors and advocates issues that impact the entire supermarket industry. Current membership represents approximately 55 supermarkets. Most members are of Hispanic descent, and their stores are predominantly located in minority neighborhoods. The NSA provides outreach services to corporations that want to capture the booming Hispanic market by providing counseling on marketing strategies to reach Hispanic retailers and consumers, including market and cultural intelligence. They have committed to ensure independent, community-focused retailers the opportunity to succeed and better serve the consumer through its policies, advocacy, programs and services.
One of the most beautiful and relevant aspects of the NSA is its philanthropic work. The organization funds scholarships and health programs that, for years now, have contributed to the social development of various communities. In Florida, The Muscular Dystrophy Association has benefited greatly from its joint work with the NSA. In just two years of fundraising for the MDA, the supermarkets have raised over $16,000 by selling Shamrocks in their locations. These vital funds go toward lifesaving research, a summer camp for kids with disabilities, wheelchair repairs and a clinic at the University of Miami. The Autism Speaks Foundation and Un Paso A La Vez are two other organizations for which the NSA has raised more than $ 20,000 in support of autistic children, growing public awareness on this condition that affects 1 in 44 children in the United States today.
Muscular Dystrophy Association & NSA Florida working together.
Alex Arcay, who received financial support from the NSA for university studies, has expressed: I can’t even begin to describe how humbled I am to have received the NSA scholarship over the last few years. It was almost like this huge financial weight was lifted off my shoulders as I approached my first semester as a UCF student. Their investment in my educational future is without a doubt, one of the reasons why I have made it so far. As we know, college tuition isn’t economical along with textbooks and housing accommodations. The NSA is the reason why I was able to afford my dorm room, pay for my textbooks and enroll in my classes. No matter how big or how small, they made a difference.
This year's Gatsby-themed gala was particularly important as we established collaborative and supportive relationships. For The Wine Chaser it is important that our development is not based exclusively on numbers and brands, we also want to give impulse and opportunity to social programs and causes that improve the quality of life in our community. With the NSA on board, we are confident we are on the right track.
Let's keep working!
See you all next Wednesday!
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