”I’m Larry Houser from Bourbon Street restaurant and my son Boyd has autism. He inspired me to work every day for the families in my community affected by autism through the organization that I founded, Fullerton Cares!” Larry Houser Bourbon Street Restaurant, Fullerton CA

“One of the main reasons I chose ONEHOPE Wine for my restaurant Knife & Fork is that my 15 year old son is Autistic and we try to be as active with the cause as possible. Since the restaurant takes so much of my time, I bring him here with me to learn some skills that may help him in his adulthood.” – Norma Montalvo, San Antonio TX

“Every time I do a tasting at Harris Teeter, the Cabernet flies off the shelves! Though everyone has a connection to a cause in ONEHOPE, I find that many of the patrons who have been impacted by Autism have a deep and personal connection. They are overwhelmingly gracious and supportive of ONEHOPE Wine. Whether a teacher, parent or sibling of someone with Autism, the people are truly touched by ONEHOPE Wine’s dedication to providing therapy for children with Autism.” – Lindsay Albright, ONEHOPE Intern Raleigh North Carolina

“Hi ACT Today! Wow, how Logan has taken off since he received his iPad. He wants to use it everyday. He knows all of his colors and all of his shapes- even the hard ones like a rhombus and hexagon. Even though he has the speech delay he knows what you are saying and can use the iPad to touch and say the word and it stays with him. His teacher just sent home a report to compare him from last year. She was almost in tears that he has improved so much. Emotions take over when you see your kids blossoms and smile and this mom knows!! MY SON IS GOING TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. Thank you so so much! Logan’s Mom”

“Dear ACT Today!, Thank you so much for the generous grant for the SKILLS ABA Web Based Application; it has been such a blessing! It has given me direction on what to do, and how to do it, when I needed it the most. It is amazing how it is helping my son. Perhaps the most noticeable change now is language. The skills he has acquired through this program have been noticed by others. Although it is very hard work, it is worth it to see him improve day by day. What is even more exciting is to see how happy and proud it makes him. He is working so hard! Thank you so much for your generous gift. Quality ABA therapy has been by far, the most beneficial treatment we have tried, but unfortunately insurance, nor the public schools, will provide it (and we can’t afford it on your own). All of you are angels to help make this possible. This is a tremendous help that would not have been possible without you. Thank you so much. Words cannot express my gratitude for all that you have done to help my son! Thank You!”

I’m Lauren Breuning, Social Media Director at ONEHOPE Wine and I’m going to interview our in house Mother Teresa, ONEHOPE Foundation Director, Melissa Levick to really find out WHAT IS AUTISM?

Lauren: What’s Autism?

Melissa: According to wikipedia, Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood.

Lauren: What the heck does that mean?

Melissa: Autism a very general term for very complex disorders of the brain. They are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.

Lauren: Who has Autism?

Melissa: Around 1 in 88 American children are on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful research shows that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness. Studies also show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.

Lauren: How/ when do you get Autism?

Melissa: Autism first appears during infancy or childhood, and generally follows a steady course without remission. Overt symptoms gradually begin after the age of six months, become established by age two or three years, and tend to continue through adulthood, although often in more muted form. It is distinguished not by a single symptom, but by a characteristic triad of symptoms: impairments in social interaction; impairments in communication; and restricted interests and repetitive behavior. Other aspects, such as atypical eating, are also common but are not essential for diagnosis.

Lauren: What is life like for someone with Autism?

Melissa: Kids with autism experience the world differently than do other children — they may have a hard time dealing with or making sense of the sights, sounds, smells and other sensations that surround us all. Autism may also make it difficult for that child to talk, play, go to school or socialize — at least in any way that makes sense to the rest of us. The range of autism spectrum disorder is extremely broad — some children are only mildly affected, while others have a severe disability. Here are some examples of symptoms that may appear within a child with Autism:
Child A: Adores/obsesses about trains; can’t stand the feel of most clothing against his skin; severe speech delay; refuses eye contact; benefits from firm pressure (weighted vests and blankets, being held tightly by someone he trusts) and loves to jump up and down.

Child B: Talks all the time, but mainly just parroting everything he hears; scared of loud noises; exceptional recall and artistic abilities; limited eye contact; flaps hands; fascinated by numbers; runs off every chance he gets and has no concept of danger.

Child C: No speech skills; spends much of his time rocking back and forth; minimal eye contact; obsessively arranges and rearranges his toys while ignoring the remainder of the world; still not fully potty-trained at age 11; can complete a puzzle of the USA in two minutes flat.

Child D: Advanced verbal skills, and talks non-stop about every facet of dinosaurs; good eye contact; many obsessive-compulsive traits (will only eat white food or one very specific brand and variety of juice); prone to tantrums and head-banging; will happily wander off from his parents whether at the museum or shopping mall.

Lauren: As an average 29 year old living in Los Angeles, how can I help?

Melissa: There are many ways to get involved! First off, ONEHOPE Cabernet Sauvignon supports children with autism, where every 6 cases provides an hour of behavioral therapy. This is a wonderful way to support families and children with autism by doing something you already do!

Second, there is the ACT Today 5k/10k Run on April 6 in San Diego. This is an incredible way to get involved, get out in the sunshine, and raise funds for our partner organization. You can also donate directly to them through the ONEHOPE Foundation at www.onehopefoundation.org/donate.

Lauren: Thanks everyone for reading and showing your passion for helping others. If you have any more questions about the cause, do not every hesitate to ask! Stop by our facebook, twitter and instagram pages and keep in touch!

Fourth Release: Pinot Noir, 2011 California Blend

Rob Mondavi Jr. hand-crafted this Pinot Noir from select vineyards throughout Napa, Sonoma, and the Central Coast. Our 2011 Pinot Noir showcases the delicacy of the grape by allowing an extended ripening period on the vine. This will ensure a mellow approach and an intriguing underlying intensity of strawberry and date flavors. Aged in American Oak rounds out the mouthfeel by introducing tannin structure and a spiced yet lush finish. This wine deliciously pairs with a wide range of foods like salmon and braised short ribs, which we’ll be blogging recipes for later this week!

The Cause: Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. Follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and join the conversation with #PinotforPaws – the internet loves pets.

Third Release: Pinot Noir Reserve / 2011 Carneros Napa Valley

Rob Mondavi Jr. handcrafted this Pinot Noir from select vineyards in the world-renowned Napa Valley. Carneros is a region that receives a cool ocean breeze, ideal for a Pinot grape. Aged for 11 months in 40% new French oak, the wine expresses wonderful aromas of raspberries, blackberries and roses. A velvety entry is followed by a full and balanced structure then a long, rich finish. Just 300 cases of this limited wine have been produced.

The Cause:

This is our third and final Pinot in this series to support charity: water. Which means, yes next week we debut a new cause! charity: water has taught us the meaning of clean water – it sounds simple doesn’t it? 90% of the 30,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are in children under five years old. (source) Many of these diseases are preventable. The WHO reports that over 3.6% of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. (source)

How you can help – $20 or five bottles of our newest Pinot Noir can give a person in Ethiopia clean water for life. Wine not?

Second Release: Pinot Noir Reserve / 2011 Napa Valley

This handcrafted Pinot Noir is sourced from select vineyards in the world-renowned Napa Valley where cool fog breezes create the perfect growing environment for this delicate grape. The 2011 Napa Vally Reserve Pinot Noir was barrel aged for 9 months in 40% new French oak. It  expresses wonderful flavors of raspberry, cherry and toasted vanilla, with a long and pleasant finish of allspice and Eucalyptus.

The Cause:

charity: water is ending the world’s water problem one well at a time. Clean water seems so simple but you can see by these graphs what devastation it causes without. Even more impressive, the solution of clean water for life is as easy as $20 or five bottles of our newest Pinot Noir. Did you ever think you could change an entire persons life? Wine not?

First release : Pinot Noir Reserve 2009 Central Coast

Our handcrafted Pinot Noir is sourced from select vineyards within the Central Coast AVA of California including the Santa Maria Valley, Santa Rita Hills, and San Luis Obispo County. The Pacific Ocean breeze provides a mild summer and warm fall, resulting in an unusually long growing season. Combined with the region’s rocky volcanic soils, these growing conditions produce fruit with intense varietal character and complex flavors. ONEHOPE Pinot Noir displays an earthy aroma with a slight hint of lilac and rose petal undertone. These attributes continue into the flavor and are followed by rich plum, wild mushrooms and an accompaniment of a long cranberry finish. Enjoy this wine with creamy brie, roasted duck, poultry, beef dishes as well as with an assortment of creamy sauces.

The Cause: charity: water

charity: water focuses on life’s most basic need — water. But to significantly cut down disease rates in the developing world, water is just the first step. Almost everywhere charity: water builds a freshwater well, we also require sanitation training. In some communities, we build latrines; at the very least, we promote simple hand-washing stations made with readily-available materials. Clean water can greatly alleviate the world’s disease burden, but only with education and hygienic practice. charity: water is committed to using water as a gateway to sanitary living.

Just five bottles of this Central Coast Reserve Pinot Noir will give someone in Ethiopia water for LIFE. That’s what we call turning wine into water!

Rosemary Garlic Paste Roast Chicken

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped, plus 3 whole fresh rosemary sprigs
5 juniper berries
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or coarse kosher salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 5- to 6-pound whole chicken, backbone and neck removed

Combine chopped rosemary and next 4 ingredients in mortar and crush with pestle or blend in mini processor until coarse paste forms. Mix in oil. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Rub 1 teaspoon herb mixture over bone side of chicken. Turn chicken over and open like book; place chicken, skin side up, on work surface. Loosen skin from breast and thigh meat; rub remaining herb mixture over meat under skin. Rub any remaining herb mixture on outside of chicken. Place rosemary sprigs in 13x9x2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Place chicken, skin side up, atop rosemary sprigs in dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roast chicken uncovered until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer chicken to platter and serve.

Fettuccine Alfredo

12 oz dried egg fettuccine
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (4 oz) plus additional for sprinkling
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water* until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.

Melt 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) butter in a 2- to 3-quart flameproof gratin dish over low heat. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat, lifting strands. Add cheese, reserved cooking water, cream, remaining 3 tablespoons butter (thinly sliced), salt, and pepper and toss to combine well. Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve immediately.

** recipes adapted from Epicurious.com

Guided by four core pillars: Access, Quality, Equality, and Sustainability, imagine1day is committed to a student-­centered learning environment. Imagine a brand new furnished school, equipped with books, sports equipment, science kits, art supplies, writing materials, and teachers who are trained to ignite excellence in children’s academic, physical, creative and emotional intelligence.

Support of imagine1day will fund a holistic education project in a remote community in Ethiopia. Just $12 can help imagine1day excavate one of 370 square meters of earth where a new school will be built.

How you can help: