Otherlands Beer, a brewery based in Bellingham, Washington, has partnered with several local breweries to produce a new beer aimed at supporting refugee resettlement organizations in the Pacific Northwest. The collaborative effort has resulted in The New Colossus, an 11° Czech-style pilsner. The breweries involved in the project include Cloudburst Brewing, Gold Dot Beer, Holy Mountain Brewing, and Wayfinder Beer.
The beer will be officially released at a fundraising event on Monday, May 19th, at Otherlands Beer. In a show of solidarity, the brewery has pledged to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from sales of The New Colossus to two organizations: World Relief Western Washington and Global Refuge.
The name of the beer is inspired by the iconic poem, “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, which is engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The poem, which famously includes the line “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” reflects the values that Otherlands Beer stands for—recognizing the contributions of immigrants and refugees to American culture.
“On May 19th, we’ll be releasing the first batch of our collaborative fundraiser beer, The New Colossus,” the brewery announced on social media. “Taking its name from the Emma Lazarus poem that adorns the Statue of Liberty, this project aims to raise money and support for refugee resettlement organizations World Relief Western Washington and Global Refuge.”
The initiative is especially timely as the refugee resettlement process has faced increasing challenges. Political pressures and cuts to funding have made it difficult for organizations to support refugees. According to the brewery, the effort aims to address this issue, as many individuals from Afghanistan, Ukraine, and other countries have recently been resettled in Washington with the help of these groups.
The event at Otherlands Beer will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with all sales of The New Colossus donated to the two charities. In addition to the beer sales, all tips and food sales from the event will also be contributed to the cause.
In partnership with World Relief, the brewery is also collecting donations for “welcome kits” to help newly arrived refugees settle into their new lives in the U.S. More details on the donation drive will be provided soon.
Otherlands Beer urges the community to join in on the event to show support for refugee resettlement efforts and the American tradition of welcoming newcomers. “Drink a beer. Donate. Get involved. Call your representatives and demand they restore funding to refugee resettlement programs,” the brewery encourages.
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