Sustainably Crafted with Purpose

At Jackie O’s, our ethos of being “Sustainably Crafted with Purpose” extends beyond the walls of our establishments. As a business deeply committed to sustainability, we believe that our responsibility is more than the production of craft beer. We want to help build a more sustainable community. Our sustainability initiatives are not just about reducing our environmental impact; they’re about actively contributing to the well-being and resilience of the communities we serve.

Partnership with Community Food Initiatives

One way we are helping ensure this is through our longtime partnership with Community Food Initiatives (CFI), an Athens-based nonprofit organization that focuses on fostering communities where everyone has equal access to fresh, healthy food. In 2023 alone, our Barrel Ridge farm donated a whopping 1584.8 lbs of locally grown produce that CFI then distributed through their Donation Station, which provides healthy local food to share with neighbors in need through partnering with food pantries, free meal programs, healthcare clinics, libraries, schools, and more.

Supporting CFI’s “Sprouts” School Program

Most recently, we’ve also begun directly supporting CFI’s Sprouts School Garden Program, which teaches our youngest community members about growing their own food and instilling a love of gardening and caring for the environment. CFI’s Sprouts program visits local first grade classrooms, taking them out to their school gardens and allowing them to experience the joy of getting their hands in the soil and learning how to grow their own food while caring for their environment.

Executive Director of CFI, Maribeth Saleem-Tanner, said of the program, “Joy and love build our commitment to care and conserve. Through Sprouts, kids fall in love with the feeling of putting their hands in Appalachian soil, with the bugs and pollinators and worms that make a garden grow, with the taste of a fresh local tomato picked straight off the vine. And it’s this love that we believe will inspire them as advocates for local food, healthy environments, and sustainable communities – now and in the future.”

Join Us for Our Summer Solstice Fundraiser

And now, to celebrate, we’re excited to announce our CFI x Jackie O’s Summer Solstice Fundraiser!

Save the date and join us at our Athens Taproom on Saturday, June 22nd, at 3pm for a family-friendly event filled with fun, hands-on activities and games for both children and adults! We will be donating proceeds from the event directly to CFI, so come show your support for our shared mission of building a sustainable community for present/future generations and visit communityfoodinitiatives.org to learn more. We’ll see y’all there!