Marcus Mariota partners with Sweet Cheeks Winery, proceeds to benefit Motiv8 Foundation efforts in Hawaii and Oregon

Saint Louis alum and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Marcus Mariota has partnered with Sweet Cheeks Winery for his next charitable endeavor.

Sweet Cheeks Winery is based in Eugene, Ore., which is also home to Mariota’s college alma mater, the University of Oregon.

Mariota’s Motiv8 Foundation and the winery have partnered to create two bottles unique to Mariota’s background. Both will be available for retail at Sweet Cheeks Winery, starting Sept. 1, as well as online. The 2018 Pinot Gris costs $30, while the 2018 Pinot Noir will retail for $40.

Though it ships to most US states, due to high shipping costs to Hawaii, there are plans to sell the wine locally during the holidays.

Proceeds from the wines will go towards the foundation’s endeavors in both Hawaii and Oregon. Recently, the Movit8 Foundation has provided over 500 meals for frontline nurses and healthcare workers, over 5,000 meals for homeless shelters, over 1,000 meals for students while schools were shut down due to COVID-19, and over 1,000 pounds of dog food to the Oahu SPCA and Humane Society. The foundation has provided housing for survivors of domestic violence as well.

Sweet Cheeks Winery has also been involved in its community, raising over $15,000 for Eugene’s Greenhill Humane society.

“We are very excited to partner with such a community minded company as Sweet Cheeks Winery,” Ed Nishioka, the director of the Motiv8 Foundation said in a press release. “The Mariota family and Motiv8 are dedicated to helping the underserved communities in Oregon. Our partnership with Sweet Cheeks is a real boost in assisting us with our mission. We look forward to helping the community with Sweet Cheeks now and in the future.”

The Motiv8 Foundation had originally planned to hold an event at Sweet Cheeks Winery during Father’s Day this year. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it plans to hold a similar event next summer instead.