International wine competition and culinary tasting returns to Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. - July 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Join wine and food aficionados from around the world for the social event of the summer at The Long Beach Grand Cru (http://longbeachgrandcru.com/), benefiting the Long Beach programs of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. The country’s only non-profit Grand Cru celebrates its 20^th year against the scenic backdrop of the Long Beach shoreline, with an evening of wine, food, one-of-a-kind silent auction and live music on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Rainbow Lagoon Park on East Shoreline Drive in downtown Long Beach.

The Long Beach Grand Cru is a premier international wine competition and public tasting event organized by and for the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (http://www.lafla.org/index.php) (LAFLA). Established in 1995, the Grand Cru has grown in size and prestige to become well-known nationally and internationally. This year’s prestigious wine competition will feature regional wines and food from over 200 wineries representing 23 states and 13 different countries. Medals are awarded to winners in the following categories: Chairman’s Best of Class, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Sweepstakes. In 2013, the public tasting attracted approximately 1,200 attendees and together with the competition raised nearly $250,000. Since its inception, the Grand Cru has raised more than $4 million for LAFLA programs and services.

“The Grand Cru is a unique event supporting Legal Aid.  The Foundation provides legal help to people who find themselves on the underside of opportunity and circumstance and cannot afford an attorney,” said A. Mina Tran, chair of the board of directors, Long Beach Grand Cru. “Many are unfortunately single mothers and children. We are proud to produce such a fun-filled event for such a deserving cause.”

The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) is the frontline law firm for poor and low-income people in Los Angeles. Since 1929, LAFLA has been committed to changing the lives of families and the community through direct representation, systems change and educational programs. This year’s Grand Cru will raise funds to benefit LAFLA’s Greater Long Beach Community Medical Legal Partnership (http://lafla.org/article.php?id=247) (GLBCMLP).

The GLBCMLP is a collaboration between LAFLA and The Children’s Clinic in Long Beach, a community health center for the medically underserved, low-income community. The partnership fosters family safety, stability, and positive health outcomes for adult and child survivors of domestic violence through coordinated medical, legal, and social services. This collaborative approach, combining the skills of attorneys, medical professionals, and social workers, allows the GLBCMLP to provide a holistic response to the complex needs of survivors of domestic violence and of low-income patients.

Tickets and additional details for the event are available online at www.longbeachgrandcru.com or by calling (213) 640-3894. Early bird tickets are $225 plus taxes and service charge; pricing increases to $250 plus taxes and service charge on July 31. VIP tickets are available for $350 that grant admission an hour earlier than general admission tickets. The VIP ticket also allows guest to access the VIP tent with premium wines, craft beers and upscale food options.