Our local beer makers love collaborating with one another. An idea brewed up by Asheville-based MANNA FoodBank brings brewers together to help local families trying to make basic ends meet.

The 2nd annual Hops for Hunger program helps provide funds and food, and also raises awareness of food insecurity in the mountains. More than 20 local breweries are joining forces support MANNA FoodBank’s mission to end hunger for thousands of families.

Child hunger increases during the summer, when students who receive free and reduced lunch aren’t receiving these weekday meals, and families face increased pressure to bridge the grocery gap in their budgets. In Western North Carolina, 1 in 6 people and 1 in 4 children is affected by food insecurity. These families turn to MANNA and our partner pantries throughout the year, but even more so during the lean summer months, when no school means no lunch for thousands of kids.

Last year’s week-long campaign was so impactful, providing over 27,000 meals-worth of food, that breweries have increased their support this year to the entire month of July.

“The brewery community has been very supportive of our neighbors in need by donating and by giving of their time through volunteering,” says Mary Nesbitt, Chief Development Officer for MANNA FoodBank. “This year, these breweries upped their collective efforts to really make an impact, right when families in our area need it most.”

The breweries are supporting MANNA by donating proceeds from a beer of their choice and tips, and by hosting food donation barrels, dinner benefits, and pint nights. You might find MANNA ambassadors in tasting rooms as well, letting patrons know about other ways to help. The more participating breweries you visit in July, the more you’ll make a difference.

“The breweries have had a real impact with this campaign,” says Hannah Randall, Chief Executive Officer for MANNA. “When you consider that with every dollar raised, MANNA can provide enough food for 3.5 meals to families struggling to make ends meet, you can imagine the impact that buying just a few beers can really have. It’s a great connection between what makes the Asheville area so fun, and the good that someone can do by simply drinking a great local beer.”

Here’s a list of special events during Hops For Hunger:

Other breweries are donating a portion of proceeds throughout the month. The full list includes: