Category: Press Releases

Veteran Community Action Grants award $75,000 to nonprofits that serve the veteran community

Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey announced today 15 recipients of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund grants. The 2022 Veteran Community Action Grants awarded $75,000 across projects that make a meaningful difference in the enjoyment and quality of life for veterans. From training service dogs to professional development and therapy, each program supports giving back to those who served.

As an American-made and owned Bourbon, Evan Williams is proud to support U.S. military veterans through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund. First established in 2020, the fund continues the brand’s support of veteran communities since launching the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes program and limited-edition label in 2015. To date, Evan Williams has recognized 48 veteran heroes on its American Hero Edition bottles and donated more than $500,000 to nonprofits.

“The 2022 recipients of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund grants are an amazing group of organizations whose dedication to serving their fellow veterans is not only inspiring, but deserving of recognition,” said Molly Vincent, Evan Williams Senior Brand Manager. “We are honored to continue the brand’s efforts to support, recognize and commend organizations who protect the American spirit of service.”

The 15 recipients of the 2022 Veteran Community Action Grants awarded by the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund are as follows:

ADAPT-ABLE FOUNDATION: Adapt-Able Foundation is a veteran-operated non-profit dedicated to bringing adaptive and able-bodied communities together to support both veterans and civilians with physical, emotional, and developmental disabilities so they can have their lives changed by experiencing SCUBA diving. Learn more about Adapt-Able Foundation at adapt-ablefoundation.org/.

THE AVA GROUP: The mission of the American Veterans Advocacy Group focuses on military-to-civilian transition support services for veterans in conjunction with the Department of Defense (DoD) Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to provide seamless transition services including job fairs, mock interviews, resume assistance, salary negotiation techniques, mentoring sessions, instruction on proper interview and business attire, professional networking events, and job placement opportunities. AVA Group allows veterans to help fellow veterans and their families successfully navigate the transition to civilian employment. Learn more about The AVA Group at theavagroup.org/.

CONTINUE MISSION: Continue Mission serves veterans and service members with service-related physical, emotional, and mental injuries by offering year-round recreational and educational events such as bowling, pickleball, disc golf, volleyball, mountain biking, hiking, nature walks, ice skating, museum tours, etc. With the motto “No Veteran Left Behind”, Continue Mission takes an active role in suicide prevention and mental health awareness by taking part in training courses and through their involvement in the Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition and Davis HELPS Suicide Coalition. Learn more about Continue Mission at continuemission.org.

GENESIS JOY HOUSE HOMELESS SHELTER: By providing housing, career training, mental health assistance, and more, Genesis Joy House Homeless Shelter, Inc. is dedicated to ending homelessness among women veterans in the Southeast. Learn more about Genesis Joy House at genesisjoyhouse.com/.

HOPE 4 VETERANS: Hope for Veterans is an organization working to prevent isolation, homelessness and suicide among veterans by providing transitional services, sister advocacy and Peer2Peer programs, small household goods, baby supplies and financial assistance to service members in need. Hope 4 Veterans works to increase self-sufficiency by supporting military women and their children while teaching self-care and providing the tools to grow stronger families. Learn more about Hope 4 Veterans at hope4veterans.org/.

KLINE VETERANS FUND: With veterans making up nearly 10% of the homeless population nationwide, Kline Veterans Fund works to provide emergency housing assistance and support services to homeless and at-risk veterans and their families. The group provides supportive items to vets on the street or residing in assisted living, memory care, and hospice facilities, rental assistance and rapid rehousing, along with scholarship funding for service dog training to veterans with PTSD and mobility issues. Learn more about Kline Veterans Fund at klineveteransfund.org/.

MISSION FISH: The Purpose of Mission FISH is to organize and plan fishing day trips and provide therapy for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury affected veterans, active-duty service members, first responders and Gold Star families. Mission FISH organizes fishing trips as nature therapy to bring together participants to share a day together, building friendships and self-esteem. Learn more about Mission FISH at missionfishusa.org/.

MY BROTHER VINNY: My Brother Vinny provides furniture, housewares and home goods to formerly homeless veterans. Veterans supported by My Brother Vinny come from many different branches of military service and with varied degrees of disabilities and hardships. Through veteran-supported community outreach, the group also works to establish and implement community-based events geared towards improving the enjoyment of life, happiness and health of the emotionally, physically and intellectually disabled. Learn more about My Brother Vinny at mybrothervinny.org/.

OPERATION PAWS ON THE GROUND: Not only does Operation Paws on the Ground rescue dogs and train them to be support animals for veterans in need, but they also provide employment opportunities for veterans by offering support dog certification training that teaches them to become the dog trainers themselves. Learn more about Operation Paws on the Ground at operationpawsontheground.org/.

SAVING GRACE K9s: Saving Grace K9s matches dogs with combat Veterans at no cost to the Veteran and provides a 6–8-month intensive training program for each Veteran/dog team. The group also provides alternative therapies to the families of PTSD-diagnosed veterans to ensure healing encompasses the entire family unit. Learn more about Saving Grace K9s at savinggracek9s.org/.

SMILES FOR VETERANS: Currently, 92% of veterans do not qualify for dental resources under the VA guidelines. Smiles for Veterans is dedicated to providing dental health care for all veterans at little or no cost to them to restore the dignity, confidence, and well-being of those who have bravely served our country. Learn more about Smiles for Veterans at smilesforveterans.org/.

SUB ZERO MISSION: Sub Zero Mission helps homeless veterans stay warm during the winter months by finding those exposed to the elements and providing them hats, coats, gloves, boots, sleeping bags, new socks, tents and other warming items. They also provide information and resources to help homeless vets to help get them back on their feet. Learn more about Sub Zero Mission at subzeromission.org/.

VETERAN SMILES FOUNDATION: Veteran Smiles Foundation provides required dental care to veterans in need to help achieve good physical and mental well-being by improving their oral health. The Foundation also partners with NC Serves to help veterans gain access to family support and other service support opportunities in their community. Learn more about Veteran Smiles Foundation at vetsmiles.org/.

WARRIORS MOUNTAIN RIVER ADVENTURES: Warriors Mountain River Adventures seeks to empower and bring veterans together for community and healing by offering outdoor trips and adventures whereby they introduce and teach new skills that veterans can take home and incorporate into their daily lives. Each trip the goal is to introduce warriors to an outdoor activity, such as fly fishing, hiking, river rafting, cycling, and skiing, with the hope of creating lasting relationships and a support network for the veterans moving forward. Learn more about Warriors Mountain River Adventures at mywmra.org/.

YAIPAK OUTREACH: YAIPak Outreach provides support, comfort, and resources aimed at promoting positive life changes to those in need. Through Project Patriot Hope, they partner with caseworkers to help transition homeless veterans off the streets and into housing plus provide them with a “Tote of Hope” filled with new household supplies, cleaning products, and kitchenware. Learn more about YAIPak Outreach at yaioutreach.org/.

As the second-largest selling Kentucky Bourbon in the world, Evan Williams is proud of its American heritage and honored to broaden its support of veteran communities across the country. The 2023 class of Evan Williams American-Made Heroes will be selected from affiliate organizations who applied through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund grant process and will be announced in early May along with a limited-edition Evan Williams American-Made Heroes bottle. To learn more about the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Program, please visit american-madeheroes.com.

ABOUT EVAN WILLIAMS: The flagship Bourbon of Heaven Hill Distillery, Evan Williams is among the leaders in the rapidly growing American Whiskey segment as the world’s second largest-selling Kentucky Bourbon. Evan Williams is a proud sponsor of Major League Baseball and the World Series, first forming a partnership with the national pastime in 2016. As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams has recognized true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery on special edition American-Made Hero labels for the past seven years, now supported by the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit as an official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN-MADE HEROES FOUNDATION FUND: Evan Williams is honored to broaden its support of veteran communities across the country through the launch of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, announced in April 2020. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund was established to show Evan Williams’ pride in being American-made and owned, and to give back to those who served. Our purpose is: to provide a platform for sharing inspiring veteran stories; to raise public awareness for causes impacting the veteran community; and to support nonprofit organizations that help veterans through a specialized grant program.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kaitlynn West
Heaven Hill
kwest@heavenhill.com

The rebranding of the Deep Eddy Vodka Bar represents Heaven Hill’s long-term commitment to its partnership with the arena.

As a continuation of its long-standing relationship with the Louisville Arena Sports and Entertainment Properties (LASEP) and ASM Global Louisville, Heaven Hill Brands announces the rebranding of the Deep Eddy Vodka Bar at the KFC Yum! Center located on the Club Level of the facility. The space previously housed Burnett’s V Lounge, in place since the Yum! Center’s opening in 2010.

The Deep Eddy Vodka Bar, named after Deep Eddy Vodka, the company’s top-selling vodka brand, will showcase a comfortable and fun aesthetic utilizing the brand’s signature deep blue color accented by natural wood, brass fixtures and branded artwork sustainably constructed out of caps from bottles of Deep Eddy Vodka. The project began at the end of 2021, with construction kicking off in July 2022 and wrapping up in October 2022. Project Managers at Heaven Hill worked with Jennifer Dumesnil and Ann Swope with Swope Design Group on the design of the bar as well as Brandon Colvin and Steve McCarty with Miranda Construction on the buildout of the space. With a design inspired by the Deep Eddy Vodka Tasting Room in Dripping Springs, Texas, the bar represents the spirit of the brand and its core promise to bring people together for carefree good times.

Artwork featured in the Deep Eddy Vodka Bar was done by Jeffrey Adam Meszaros, aka “The Bottle Cap Guy,” who is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  While working as a bartender, he noticed the mass amounts of colorful and uniquely designed bottle caps being thrown out every day and thought “A landfill is not a good place for so many little pixels of art to be spending the next five hundred years breaking down.”  Meszaros began collecting these caps and, in 2009, created his first mosaic.  More examples of his work can be found at @jambottlecapart on social media.

 “We are so excited for visitors to see this beautifully refreshed space,” said Hannah Venhoff, Vice President, Deep Eddy Vodka. “The KFC Yum! Center is Louisville’s premier location for sports and entertainment, and we’re excited to showcase Heaven Hill’s flagship vodka and the brand’s deep Austin, Texas roots to all of its patrons.” The bar will offer a full range of traditional cocktails featuring Deep Eddy Original Vodka as well as newly developed drinks featuring Deep Eddy Lime, Lemon and Ruby Red.

Elijah Craig Bourbon Presents the Third Annual Cocktail Event in Support of the Southern Smoke Foundation, October 14-23, 2022

Elijah Craig Bourbon is pleased to announce its third annual Old Fashioned Week, a ten-day celebration taking place from October 14-23 that invites discerning imbibers to raise a glass to a New Era of the classic cocktail, while also raising money for an invaluable cause. This year, Elijah Craig has pledged to donate $100,000 to the Southern Smoke Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to providing emergency support and relief to those in the hospitality industry. Additionally, Elijah Craig’s parent company, Heaven Hill Brands, has committed an added $15,000 to Southern Smoke that will directly assist Hurricane Ian relief efforts.

Elijah Craig first launched Old Fashioned Week in 2020 as a means to uplift the hospitality community during a time of need. Now in its third year, Elijah Craig is proud to continue hosting Old Fashioned Week, donating a lifetime total of $315,000 to nonprofits which directly impact individuals in the food and beverage community. 

“Old Fashioned Week was created in 2020 with two goals: support the hospitality industry at a critical moment of need and create ways for our community to remain connected at a time when we simply couldn’t meet for a drink,” said Max Stefka, Group Product Director at Heaven Hill. “Now, approaching year three, the goals haven’t changed but the sum of the parts has. Old Fashioned Week has truly become a nationwide movement with over three-thousand participating bars from every pocket of the country and every facet of the industry. We are grateful to everyone who has supported it and every patron who has raised an Old Fashioned to a great cause.” 

Rallying conscientious cocktailers across the United States, participants are invited to join the celebration, toast their favorite Elijah Craig Old Fashioned, and enjoy signature programming that highlights the quality and expert craftsmanship of the award-winning bourbon. 

Celebrating Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week

This October 14-23, 2022, participants are invited to join in the celebration and toast to Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week. As a commitment to partnering with the Southern Smoke Foundation, Elijah Craig pledges to: 

• Donate $5 for each photo of an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned that’s uploaded to Instagram using the hashtag #oldfashionedweek and tagging @elijahcraig. 
• Donate $1 for every online sweepstakes registration for the Elijah Craig Cocktail Courier Bar Kit, which features Elijah Craig Old Fashioned syrup and a premium stir set. The Old Fashioned Week Sweepstakes photo contest and online registration can be accessed via social media and www.old fashioned week.com. 

Additionally, during Old Fashioned Week, more than 3,000 bars across the country will be offering a riff (or two or three…) of the Elijah Craig Old Fashioned, showing their support for the celebration. Guests are invited to use Old Fashioned Week’s “Find A Bar” tool [www.oldfashionedweek.com/find-bars] to locate participating bars in their neck of the woods and partake in the festivities. Thousands of nationally acclaimed establishments have committed to participating in this year’s event, including Broken Shaker in Chicago and Miami, Cure in New Orleans, Death & Co. in Denver, Julep in Houston, Leyenda in New York City, R&D in Philadelphia, Silver Lyan in Washington, DC, and many more. 

Old Fashioned Week and Southern Smoke Foundation

Long-time fans of Southern Smoke and Founding Director and Chef Chris Shepherd, the Elijah Craig team is thrilled to name the organization as its 2022 Old Fashioned Week beneficiary. Realizing a natural alignment in the brands’ collective missions of supporting the hospitality industry, the partnership transpired organically. 

“I can’t think of a better partnership than Southern Smoke and Old Fashioned Week,” said Chris Shepherd, founding director of Southern Smoke Foundation. “Anyone who knows me knows how much I love bourbon, so it’s fitting that a week celebrating one of my favorite cocktails is also benefiting my favorite foundation. We are so grateful to our friends at Elijah Craig for selecting Southern Smoke as Old Fashioned Week’s beneficiary. It’s a reminder that Southern Smoke’s Emergency Relief fund is available to anyone in the industry—including distillers, bartenders, and beverage professionals—nationwide in crisis. So enjoy Old Fashioned Week and know your cocktail is helping take care of the food and beverage industry.” 

Elijah Craig Bourbon and The Old Fashioned

A match made in heaven, Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon strikes the perfect note of rich flavor and full body that expertly balances the spirit-forward Old Fashioned. Its signature warm spice and subtle smoke flavor complement the sweetness and spiciness of the cocktail’s accompanying ingredients. 

“I’m inspired by the breadth and depth of bartenders participating in this year’s Old Fashioned Week,” shared Lynn House, National Heaven Hill Portfolio Mixologist and Old Fashioned Week Host. “From beloved neighborhood dives to the most renowned bars across the globe, these bars are serving Old Fashioned cocktails that honor the history and legacy of the classic alongside innovative riffs that push the bounds of the category.”

Credited as being the first distiller to age his wares in charred oak barrels, the Reverend Elijah Craig is considered the Father of Bourbon and in c.1789 transformed the clear, unaged corn liquor into the bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavor that is known and loved today. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the nation’s largest independent, family-owned distillery and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon, the Elijah Craig lineup features a variety of award-winning products to appeal to all connoisseurs.

And with a cocktail program helmed by acclaimed bartender and National Heaven Hill Portfolio Mixologist Lynn House, there’s a tipple for everyone. For House as well as many bartenders, whiskey connoisseurs, and cocktail fans, the Old Fashioned is merely a jumping off point: a blank canvas that invites experimentation and challenges perceptions of what the cocktail is—and what it could be. Old Fashioned Week participants are invited to try their hand with one of Elijah Craig’s suggested recipes or by getting creative with their own concoctions. 

Creole Old Fashioned by Lynn House: 

• 2 oz. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
• .5 oz. Monin® Spiced Brown Sugar Syrup
• 3 Dashes of Chili Bitters
• 4 Dashes of Creole Bitters

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube and garnish with lemon peel.

To enjoy an Old Fashioned in its purest form, begin with:

• 2 oz. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
• .25 oz. Simple Syrup
• 3 Dashes of Bitters
• Orange Swath
• 1 Brandied Cherry (optional)

Instructions

In a mixing glass, add bitters, simple syrup, Elijah Craig Small Batch, and ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain the cocktail over a large ice cube in a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange peel and an optional brandied cherry. Enjoy or share with a friend using #OldFashionedWeek! 

For more information on Elijah Craig, Heaven Hill Distillery, and Old Fashioned Week, please visit https://elijahcraig.com/, https://heavenhilldistillery.com/, and follow along on Instagram @elijahcraig. 

###

ABOUT ELIJAH CRAIG BOURBON

Elijah Craig Bourbon bears the name of the Reverend Elijah Craig, known as “The Father of Bourbon,” who established his distillery in 1789 on the banks of Elkhorn Creek in modern-day Georgetown, Kentucky. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his wares in charred oak barrels. The clear, unaged corn liquor became transformed into a bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavor that makes Bourbon what it is today. Today, Elijah Craig’s community impact continues through Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week, providing annual donations of up to $100,000 to organizations supporting the hospitality industry. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated distillery and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon, the Elijah Craig lineup includes: Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Elijah Craig’s accolades have included Whisky Advocate’s Whisky of the Year, Best Small Batch Bourbon and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Excellent Highly Recommended honors at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. For more information, please visit www.elijahcraig.com. Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

ABOUT SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION

Created in 2015 by Chef Chris Shepherd, Southern Smoke supports members of the food and beverage industry nationwide through emergency relief funding and access to mental health care. Since its founding, the 501c3 nonprofit established within the food and beverage industry has distributed more than $10 million to people in need across America. Simply put, we “take care of our own.” To learn more, please visit https://southernsmoke.org.