Big Grove Brewery and The Big Grove for Good Foundation will donate $24,000 to Midwestern food banks and homeless shelters as SNAP funding faces a potential lapse and National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week approaches.
The foundation will distribute $12,000 among three regional food banks — $4,000 each to HACAP in Eastern Iowa, the Food Bank of Iowa in Central Iowa and the Food Bank for the Heartland, which serves western Iowa, Omaha and parts of Nebraska.
The donation comes as many residents in Iowa, Nebraska and the greater Midwest could lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits this weekend unless lawmakers take action to fund the program past Nov. 1.
An additional $12,000 will go to local homeless shelters and service organizations during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, as many shelters begin opening winter-weather facilities.
“Food and shelter are basic needs that no one should have to go without, and these donations are one way we can support the incredible organizations and individuals working every day to care for our neighbors and address hunger and homelessness across our region,” Mikala Demet, executive director of the Big Grove for Good Foundation, said in a release.
Matthew Swift, CEO of Big Grove Brewery, said the company will continue to monitor the situation and take additional actions to support the community.
Big Grove locations will provide free meals to veterans, active duty service members and gold star family members on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The brewery also plans holiday meal giveaways for Thanksgiving and Christmas at select locations.
The Big Grove For Good Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that manages the Neighborhood Beer micro-grant program and administers sponsorship requests and grants in three areas: Trees, Trails & Water; Equity & Equality; and Our Backyard. The foundation operates independently of Big Grove Brewery.
