The brewery said it is supporting efforts by the Gary Sinese Foundation and the PA Restaurant & Lodging Association to help those affected by the outbreak

POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Schuylkill County-based brewery D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. announced Tuesday it will commit $100,000 to provide relief during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Through initial donations, Yuengling will support the Gary Sinise Foundation and its Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service campaign to assist individuals on the front lines of fighting the coronavirus, the Pottsville brewing company said.

Yuengling said it is also a Founding Donor of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association’s newly established Hospitality Assistance Response of Pennsylvania fund, which supports hospitality workers, including restaurant staff, servers and bartenders, who have been financially impacted by the pandemic.

“As America’s Oldest Brewery, for nearly 200 years, we have survived a number of highs and lows throughout our nation’s history," said Wendy Yuengling, CEO of D.G. Yuengling & Sons, Inc., and a sixth-generation Yuengling family member. "We have learned that the best way to get through tough times is to stick together and support one another. We firmly believe in these efforts to assist our communities as they grapple with the unprecedented impact of COVID-19.

“We are proud to work alongside nonprofit partners who are able to support heroes on the front lines and our communities in need, including the Gary Sinise Foundation and HARP. Together, we will overcome this challenge and come out stronger and more united than ever.”

Yuengling is donating to the Gary Sinise Foundation’s dedicated campaign called the Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service, which will go exclusively towards providing grants to first responders within Yuengling’s 22-state market.

The grants will assist first responders, especially those within volunteer organizations that have limited resources, in purchasing personal protective equipment and essential gear needed when answering COVID-19 service calls.

Through the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service, Yuengling said, financial assistance is also available to healthcare professionals, service members, veterans, first responders, and their families who have been impacted by the novel coronavirus.

“Through the tremendous support and generosity of Yuengling, we are honored to help first responders battling this historic pandemic,” said Elizabeth Fields, COO of the Gary Sinise Foundation. “Just as our first responders and all of those on the front lines are working so hard to protect us, we want to do everything we can to protect and support them. The Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service is an extension of the Gary Sinise Foundation’s mission to serve and protect those who so bravely protect our nation, 365 days a year.”

Yuengling will match donations made to the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service, dollar for dollar, up to $45,000. Double your impact today by making a donation at https://donate.garysinisefoundation.org/Yuengling.

As part of its COVID-19 relief efforts, Yuengling also places importance on helping communities within its home state of Pennsylvania. In partnership with PRLA, Yuengling is a Founding Donor of the newly established HARP fund, which will provide immediate emergency funding to frontline employees of Pennsylvania’s hospitality businesses, bartenders, servers and waitstaff who are experiencing significant hardships due to the abrupt closure of their bars, restaurants and hotels. For consumers interested in helping, donations can be made directly to HARP by visiting www.prla.org/HARP.

"We are profoundly grateful to Yuengling for quickly stepping in as a Founding Sponsor of HARP," said John Longstreet, president and CEO of PLRA. "Pennsylvania's hospitality industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and our employees are experiencing significant hardships as a result.