Due to financial hardships and economic uncertainty brought on by COVID-19, many businesses — especially those hit hardest in the hospitality sector — were forced to pull back on charitable giving. However, award-winning Arizona brewery Pedal Haus increased its donations, donating $21,000 to a variety of causes since the beginning of 2020 through fundraisers, events and direct donations.
“We feel fortunate we were able to help with charitable donations despite the rough year we had financially in 2020,” says founder and CEO Julian Wright. “It always feels good to help those in need, and 2020, as well as other tragic circumstances, created a lot of need in our community.”
Some of these donations were made to help others in the hospitality and dining space, such as the Event Producers Alliance of Arizona and the Arizona Craft Brewer’s Guild. The eatery also donated to the family of a beloved member of the tight-knit bar and restaurant industry, Bobby Kramer, a well-known and respected mixologist who passed away in a fatal car accident.
Other donations reflected the ongoing push for social justice, such as the $3,500 donation to the East Valley NAACP. Additional donations included gifts to organizations close to the restaurant leaders’ hearts — such as the Rob Dollar Foundation and AZK9.
Pedal Haus Brewery has been gaining notoriety in the local craft beer scene since 2015, when it opened its location in Tempe.
