Calling all Craft Breweries! Partner with us on the 2017 CalFresh Challenge.

The San Diego craft brewing community is known for its enthusiasm for supporting good causes and giving culture. This is why we are seeking to partner with local breweries on our 2017 CalFresh Challenge. 

According to our analysis, more than 485,000 people in San Diego County don’t always have enough to eat. That’s one in six of our neighbors, loved ones and friends who don’t have access to enough food for an active healthy life.  Each year, the San Diego Hunger Coalition holds its CalFresh Challenge as a way to raise awareness and money to fight hunger in our community. CalFresh is our state’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. For one work week, we encourage people who don’t have to worry about not having enough food to try living on a food stamps budget. In San Diego County, the average CalFresh budget for one person is $4.18 per day or $20.92 for five days.

This year the CalFresh Challenge will be held May 8 -12 during CalFresh Awareness Month. We are looking for partners in the craft brewing industry to help us make this the best challenge to date. Here are some ways you can participate: 

• Use craft beer to carry the message.
The average pint of craft beer in San Diego costs around $6, about $1.73 more than the daily $4.27 CalFresh allotment per person. We are looking for a local brewery to brew an original CalFresh beer for the month of May and sell it for $4.27, or offer this special price on an existing beer during the month to benefit the San Diego Hunger Coalition. This way customers can see what they spend on a pour of their favorite craft beer is more than the meager government supplement some people receive to help put food on their tables.

• Provide a donation for our CalFresh Challenge event.
As an incentive for people to participate in the challenge we will hold a post-challenge event. The event is an opportunity to celebrate those who completed the challenge, recognize the top challenge fundraisers, and bring people together to have fun for a good cause. We are seeking donations to give as prizes to our top fundraisers and to raffle off at our post-challenge event. We'll accept gift certificates, merchandise, and any other goodies you are able to give.

• Participate in the Challenge yourself and share your experience.
We are always looking for new people to take the CalFresh Challenge, especially those with large followings who can help extend the reach of our message to end hunger in San Diego County.

As a partner in the 2017 CalFresh Challenge, we can provide your brewery with the following. We are also open to discussing any additional ideas you have.

• Handouts, menu inserts and pre-written social media posts for you to use to promote your brewery’s participation in the challenge.
• Promotion of the brewery and CalFresh beer on our social media accounts and blog.
• Recognition of the brewery in any media releases issued about the challenge and inclusion of the brewery’s logo on all CalFresh Challenge digital and printed materials.
• A shout out for your brewery during the post-challenge event.

The San Diego Hunger Coalition is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Our federal tax ID# is 30-0507718.

If your brewery is interested in joining as a partner in the 2017 CalFresh Challenge, please contact Liz Faris at liz@sdhunger.org or (619) 501-7917 ext. 106.