Sierra Nevada Fights the Food Insecurity Crisis During the Holiday Season

As the holidays approach, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is partnering with community nonprofits fighting food insecurity across the country. The effort is part of the brewery’s $1 Million donation commitment to nonprofits making an impact during the COVID-19 crisis.

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The organizations include Rethink (New York), Community Servings (Boston), Common Pantry (Chicago), Sol Collective (Sacramento), #HashtagLunchbag (Los Angeles), Second Harvest (San Jose), Del Mar Village Association (San Diego), SF New Deal (San Francisco), Carolina Farm Trust (Charlotte), and Second Helpings (Atlanta).

Food insecurity, an inconsistent supply of the food needed to live a healthy, active life, has doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting roughly 20% of U.S. households, according to a study by Northwestern University. Food insecurity has hit alarming levels in communities all over the country as a record number of Americans face unemployment, decreased wages, and increased expenses for essential items such as healthcare and childcare. Black and Latino’s households have been hit even more severely.

In August, Sierra Nevada unveiled its new program centered around the release of Dankful IPA, a generously hoppy beer launched to help the brewery raise awareness for a variety of nonprofits working to support local communities. A hoppy West Coast-style IPA, Dankful is now available at retail stores across the country. The beer is 7.4% ABV with 55 IBU’s and resinous flavor notes of pine and tropical fruit.

“Our goal is to support communities in our backyard and beyond, with a focus on urgent needs for many people right now,” explained Sierra Nevada Vice President Sierra Grossman. “Dankful allows us to focus on what we do best: supporting the causes we believe in and brewing great beer.”

Sierra Nevada is partnering with new nonprofits each quarter, allowing the brewery to be nimble and immediate in its efforts. “Rather than making donations contingent upon Dankful sales, we’ve committed to at least $1 Million in donations over the next year,” explained Communications Director Robin Gregory. “This is a way to provide immediate support for nonprofits doing critical work in our communities.”

Earlier this year, Sierra Nevada partnered with World Central Kitchen who received $250,000. Through its Chefs for America program, World Central Kitchen has served more than 25 million meals to first responders and families facing food insecurity during the COVID pandemic. In the process, they're putting restaurant workers – some of the hardest hit by the pandemic – back to work.

Philanthropy has long been an integral part of Sierra Nevada’s DNA. During the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the brewery worked with Enloe Medical Center to produce VTM—a necessary tool for COVID testing. In 2018, the brewery organized Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, a crowdsourced fundraising effort that raised nearly $10 million for the local community after the deadly Camp Fire.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Inspired by frequent trips to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Ken Grossman founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in 1980. Highly regarded for using only the finest quality ingredients, Sierra Nevada has set the standard for craft brewers worldwide with innovations in the brewhouse and in its sustainability efforts. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada now spans both coasts with breweries in Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina. Sierra Nevada is famous for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Hazy Little Thing®, Torpedo® and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.

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