FORT COLLINS – As the summer sun brings the heat, New Belgium Brewing is donating $100,000 to GRID Alternatives to support its mission to make solar technology accessible to low-income communities, while providing pathways to clean energy jobs.
New Belgium has supported GRID Alternatives since 2015 and today announces an up-front charitable contribution in the amount of $100,000, with the funds to be distributed equally ($50,000 each) to the GRID Bay Area and GRID Mid-Atlantic regional offices for completion of regional solar installation projects in underserved communities and training programs in 2018.
“At New Belgium we know renewable energies, like wind and solar, are essential components of a sustainable climate” said New Belgium Assitant Director of Sustainability, Katie Wallace. “GRID Alternatives doubles the benefit by helping in communities where the cost of implementing solar may be out of the typical household’s reach.”
New Belgium’s donation will help GRID Bay Area serve up to 32 families in the Atchison Village neighborhood in Richmond, CA. For GRID Mid-Atlantic, the funds will be used for the highest-need projects in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas. The Atchison Village installation will be celebrated with a Solarthon event on June 9.
Once GRID installs solar, residents save up to 90% on electricity bills. GRID also provides job training and hands-on installation experience to residents of disadvantaged communities, many of whom enter a career track and gain employment at solar companies.
“We all deserve to live in places that optimize environmental, economic, and social well-being; places that will be resilient to the human impacts of climate change,” continued Wallace.
“GRID makes this possible with their transformative work and New Belgium is proud to offer our support.”
To date, New Belgium has donated over $16 million to worthy organizations throughout the country as part of its philanthropic giving and grants program. To learn more about the brewery’s grants program or any of its beers, visit www.newbelgium.com.
About New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work, one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses and tops Bicycling Magazine’s Best Companies for Cyclists. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire Amber Ale, New Belgium brews sixteen year-round beers: Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Fat Tire Belgian White, The Hemperor HPA, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale Ale, Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA, Sour Saison, Honey Orange Tripel, Dayblazer Easygoing Ale, Tartastic Fruit Beer Series, 1554 Black Lager, Bohemian Pilsner, Abbey Belgian Style Ale, Trippel and a gluten-reduced beer, Glutiny Pale Ale. To learn more, visit NewBelgium.com and follow the brewery on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
About GRID Alternatives:
GRID Alternatives is a national leader in making clean, affordable solar power and solar jobs accessible to low-income communities and communities of color. Using a unique, people-first model, GRID develops and implements solar projects that serve qualifying households and affordable housing providers, while providing hands-on job training. GRID has installed solar for more than 10,400 families to-date and helped households and housing providers save $320 million in lifetime electricity costs, while training over 37,000 people. GRID Alternatives has nine regional offices and affiliates serving California, Colorado, the mid-Atlantic region, and Tribal communities nationwide, and serves communities in Nicaragua, Nepal and Mexico. For more information, visit www.gridalternatives.org.