Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BC restaurants have been required to close their dining rooms and offer only take-away and pick-up service. As a result, thousands of restaurant workers have been laid off in the last two weeks. The Drinks List liquor agency is partnering with several B.C. wineries, cideries, breweries, and distilleries to help support these workers.
Tim Wispinski, President of The Drinks List, comments, “We recognize the COVID-19 pandemic is effecting all of society and causing emotional and financial suffering. The restaurant industry is one of the segments suffering the most. We hope to create public awareness for the BC Hospitality Foundation and the Vancouver Food + Beverage Community Relief Fund. I hope other BC suppliers of wine, beer, cider, and spirits will join us in this program to increase its impact.”
The program works as follows: for every case of wine, beer, and cider sold to restaurants, the program partners will donate funds to organizations that support hospitality workers in need. A $12 donation will be made for each case of wine shipped to restaurants, as well as a $6 donation for each case of cider or beer. The Initiative will continue for as long as dining room restrictions are in place.
To jumpstart the support, an initial donation of $500 will be made to the Vancouver Food + Beverage Community Relief Fund (VanFBC Relief Fund). This initiative addresses Vancouver food and beverage workers’ greatest immediate, short-term needs, such as groceries and prescriptions. An additional donation of $1,300 will be made to the BC Hospitality Foundation to ensure the continuation of the charitable work they do for hospitality workers across British Columbia experiencing financial crisis due to a heath condition.
The list of BC suppliers supporting the program includes Adega on 45th Winery(Osoyoos); Chaberton Estate Winery (Langley); Evolve Cellars (Penticton); Fort Berens Estate Winery (Lillooet); One Faith Vineyards (Oliver); Harper’s Trail Estate Winery (Kamloops); The View Winery (Kelowna); TIME Winery (Penticton); Wild Goose Vineyards and Winery (Okanagan Falls); Wards Hard Cider(Kelowna); Pemberton Distillery (Pemberton); Purpus Vodka Soda (Vancouver); and 4 Mile Brewing (Victoria).
Consumers are encouraged to add a beverage to their take away orders to help the restaurant industry. The products for the suppliers involved can also be purchased at local liquor stores or via the supplier websites.
Here’s links to all the supplier websites:
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- The Drinks List, Tim Wispinski, President – tim@nullthedrinkslist.ca
- BC Hospitality Foundation, Dana Lee Harris, Executive Director – dana@nulldanalee.biz
- VanFBC Relief Fund – Sophia Cheng, Media Relations – sophia@nullsophiachengpr.com or 604-828-3102
- About The Drinks List
The Drinks List is a beverage alcohol agency that represents premium Canadian and Import wineries, distilleries, breweries, and cideries. It operates across Western Canada including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon and Northwest Territories. www.
thedrinkslist.ca About The VFBC Relief Fund
The Vancouver Food + Beverage Community Relief Fund is an ad hoc organization collaborating with members of the F&B industry to raise funds to be distributed to hourly F&B workers who are suffering job loss due to COVID-19 for use on necessities such as groceries, bills, medication, and rent payments. www.vanfbc.com
About the BC Hospitality Foundation
The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is a registered charity that raises funds to support those in the hospitality industry facing financial crisis due to a medical issue. Each year hundreds of hospitality workers across BC face financial challenges and have nowhere else to turn. The BCHF helps them when all other options have been exhausted. In addition, the BCHF offers a scholarship program to foster the development of the next generation of hospitality workers and industry leaders.
