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Beer proceeds going to Just Roots

The Recorder, September 5, 2017, by Aviva Luttrell

On Thursday, The People’s Pint will formally donate a portion of sales from its Early Green Pale Ale — a special beer crafted for Just Roots Farm — to the local nonprofit during a special event.

The beer, released in April, was brewed specifically as a fundraiser for Just Roots — a Greenfield-based organization dedicated to increasing access to healthy, local food by connecting people, land, resources and education. During Thursday’s celebration, which runs from 4 to 6 p.m., The People’s Pint will donate 25 cents from every bottle sold, for a total of $825.

“It’s a lot of good beer out in the world that’s supporting a local community organization,” Just Roots Executive Director Jessica Van Steensburg said.

The event will also feature snacks and a chance for members of the community to learn about Just Roots and meet staff from the organization.

Josh Breitner, general manager of The People’s Pint, said the brewpub has a specific set of criteria for deciding which organizations to work with on its benefit beers. He said in particular, The Pint looks for organizations that are local, dedicated to food advocacy, education and sustainability.

“These are things that are so fundamental about what Just Roots is doing,” he said. “It’s been a very obvious partnership from the beginning, and I don’t think you can find an organization that is doing more for Franklin County and Greenfield in terms of those things than Just Roots.”

Van Steensburg said the nonprofit’s primary program is its supported farm share program, which serves low income residents. She said for every $300 Just Roots earns, its able to feed another family.

“That’s super critical, because the demand for the program is so large,” she said. “It’s about $50,000 a year that we have to raise in donations to make that program possible, to feed about 150 families. Donations like the one The People’s Pint is making go to help that food access work.”

Just Roots and The Pint have collaborated on other events throughout the year, including a dinner, the Pints in the Park festival and an upcoming fall festival.

Of Thursday’s event, Van Steensburg said, “It’s just another reason to get together as a community and celebrate the partnership we’re forming.”