Sugarlands Distilling Company Announces 2016 MoonShare Grant Recipients

GATLINBURG, Tenn., Feb. 4, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sugarlands Distilling Company, crafters of award-winning spirits in East Tennessee, has announced the 2016 MoonShare Year of Giving Grant recipients.

After one month of public voting, twelve nonprofit organizations from across the U.S. have been chosen to receive $5,000 each from Sugarlands Distilling Company to help further their charitable missions.

In addition to the monetary award, each of the 12 organizations will be assigned a "Month to Shine" where their efforts will be highlighted on Sugarlands Distilling Company's website and social media platforms.

View the full list of recipients here.

"It's an honor to have so many great organizations apply for the program, and I am thrilled by the outpouring of public support they each received," said Courtney DeLaura, director of the MoonShare program. "Our company likes to pay homage to the people who inhabited these mountains long before us. Giving back and lending a helping hand was important to them then, and it is important to us today."   

Sugarlands Distilling Company made 2015 its first annual "Year of Giving" by launching MoonShare, a nationwide giveback component of the East Tennessee distillery that helps nonprofit organizations positively influence their communities through MoonShare grants, fundraisers, and donations.

The mission of the Year of Giving is to provide monetary donations to 12 elected nonprofits, one each month. The company will give away $60,000 in grant funds to nonprofits across the U.S. in 2016, in addition to other charitable projects.
 
Sugarlands Distilling Company is a producer of craft quality moonshine and whiskey and is also a popular attraction in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Inside the distillery, guests can taste free samples of authentic Sugarlands Shine, take a behind-the-scenes tour of the production, and purchase a variety of moonshine flavors, mountain merchandise, and apparel. To enhance their experience, guests can enjoy live music, Appalachian storytelling, and book outdoor adventure tours in the Sugarlands, an area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park historically referred to as "moonshiners' paradise." The company is East Tennessee-owned, with a focus on bettering the local community through a variety of events and charitable giving. Sugarlands Shine is currently available for purchase in FL, AL, MS, SC, NC, TN, KY, IN, IL, WV, MD, NY, CT, MI, VA, MN and TX.