(Press Release)
(Photo Courtesy Creature Comforts Brewing Co.)
ATHENS, Ga.—With a mission built around community, Creature Comforts is no stranger to giving back. Returning for its second year running, the ‘Get Comfortable’ campaign is a program designed to raise awareness and funding for non-profits focused on hunger, poverty, and homelessness in Athens, GA, a city where an estimated 1 in 4 children grows up in poverty. Established in 2014, the ‘Get Comfortable’ campaign returned this November with a thriving launch, focusing on one non-profit partner per month, with a total of five partners running through March 2016.
Creature Comforts has partnered with Community Connection to identify which local non-profit programs best fit the ‘Get Comfortable’ campaign mission and display the most immediate financial need. Upon much consideration, ‘Get Comfortable’ named the following 2015-2016 non-profit partners: Sparrows Nest, Action Ministries, Athens Community Council on Aging, Athens Area Homeless Shelter, and Athens Land Trust.
Dubbing Wednesdays “community days,” Creature Comforts transforms typical brewery tours into campaign events bringing folks together to help hand-make household and shelter items, hygiene and cleaning kits, and more for those in need. With 100 percent of Wednesday tour profits going back to the campaign fund, guests attending the community tours also have the opportunity to purchase a special tour that includes a specialty ‘Get Comfortable’ glassware and an option to take home a souvenir crowler of the newest limited-run beer created for the cause—Get Comfortable IPA. Additionally, a variety of ‘Get Comfortable’ merchandise is available for sale with 100 percent of profits benefitting the cause, along with a list of donation items desired from each non-profit. Guests that bring donations to the brewery will receive $2 off a Wednesday tour.
The program has seen a strong start in its second year. Kicking off in November 2015, the brewery welcomed the first non-profit, the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, where corresponding Wednesday tours saw tremendous turnouts with crowds of more than 200 people volunteering to make items for donation. With a sizable goal of $50,000 set for the length of the campaign, Get Comfortable has already been able to generate more than $17,000 of value in its first full month running.
“When we started the idea of ‘Get Comfortable’ in 2014, we were just getting the wheels in motion, and we learned a lot. This year we felt like we found the right partners and had a clearer vision,” said Chris Herron, Creature Comforts CEO and co-founder. “Having the community support the ‘Get Comfortable’ tours in such a huge way has been really humbling. To walk into our brewery and see people rolling up sleeves making volunteer kit projects, enjoying the tour, sampling the beer, and to know that all the profits are going towards amazing non-profits that support our community is extremely rewarding and is really very special to us.”
Additionally, several local Athens partners have stepped up to help raise funds for the campaign including premiere pizza-makers, Your Pie; woodworking company, Sons of Sawdust; bean-to-bar chocolatier, Condor Chocolates; social service experts, Community Connection; and My Athens. Your Pie offered a specialty pizza in all Athens locations during December, matching dollar-for-dollar to the ‘Get Comfortable’ campaign. With more than 250 pizzas already ordered, hundreds of dollars have been donated directly to the fund. Sons of Sawdust built and donated several furniture pieces to be silently auctioned off throughout the ‘Get Comfortable’ campaign season, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting the cause. Condor Chocolates recently released 500 specialty Koko Buni chocolate bars donating $2.50 from every bar sold to the campaign.
ABOUT CREATURE COMFORTS BREWING COMPANY:
Creature Comforts is an Athens, Georgia, based brewery offering finely balanced artisanal beers. Since opening its doors in April 2014, Creature Comforts has made an imprint in the craft beer community with its award-winning, year-round and special release beers. To learn more about Creature Comforts, contact [email protected] or visit us online at www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com.
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