Although a lot of charity events focus solely on raking in the dough, an upcoming fundraiser presented by the Women’s Housing Coalition (WHC) will put a bigger emphasis on raising awareness.
On Thursday, September 17 from 5 to 8 p.m., the organization—which helps displaced women and children find permanent homes in Baltimore City—is hosting its inaugural Hops for Housing benefit at Union Craft Brewing, where the public is invited to mingle with community members while sipping seasonal brews.
“Fundraising and working with nonprofits can sometimes be intimidating,” says Danielle Koch, a board member and chair of the Fund Development committee for WHC. “So our goal is more about outreach and friend-raising.”
The laid-back happy hour will feature brewery tours, a free beer for attendees, and a pint glass to take home. The Jolly Pig food truck will be on hand to serve up plenty of pulled pork tacos and the Cream Cruiser will roll up to sell its signature ice cream sandwiches.
A portion of all food and drink sales will help further the efforts of the WHC, such as establishing family reading programs, dress-for-success workshops, and education and employment seminars for displaced women.
Union Craft Brewing founder Jon Zerivitz says that creating partnerships with local charities is a huge part of the brewery’s mission.
“From the beginning, being good community members and making our brewery more than just a beer company has been at the core of what our business is all about,” Zerivitz says. “So many people are doing great things and beer is a great way to get those messages out there.”
Koch says that beer is also a great way to attract the attention of young professionals and to make the cause more inclusive to men.
The organization sets a goal of raising $20,000 per year, and, according to Koch, every little bit helps to get so many women up on their feet.
“Last year we had a woman who had lived with us for a long time buy her own home, and in 2014 four of the children staying with us went to college,” she shares. “Getting people that really want to help all in one place is a great way to tell our success stories.”
Tickets for the event are $25 in advance, and are available here.