At the request of the American Red Cross, Anheuser-Busch is delivering nearly six truckloads – more than 300,000 cans – of emergency drinking water to California and Oregon to support local communities impacted by the devasting wildfires.
In August, two truckloads of emergency drinking water were delivered to the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in Oakland and local wholesaler partner, Bueno Beverage Company in Visalia, California in support of local Red Cross relief efforts.
As the severe wildfires continued on the West Coast last month, three additional truckloads of clean, safe drinking water were delivered to Straub Distributing (Anaheim, CA), Markstein Beverage (Sacramento, CA) and Western Beverage (Portland, OR).
This week, an additional truckload – more than 50,000 cans – of emergency drinking water will be delivered to the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in Oakland who will work alongside the Red Cross to distribute the water to those in need at their ongoing relief operations.
As employee safety is the foremost and primary concern, Anheuser-Busch is closely monitoring the fires and is taking action to ensure colleagues in the region – including at its Fairfield and Van Nuys breweries and various distribution centers across California – are safe and prepared as the situation continues to evolve.
The clean, safe drinking water will be transported from the Anheuser-Busch breweries in Cartersville, Georgia and Fort Collins, Colorado which periodically pause beer production throughout the year to can emergency drinking water to be ready to help communities in times of disaster.
Anheuser-Busch has a longstanding tradition of providing support for disaster relief efforts in partnership with the American Red Cross. Building on this commitment, last year, the brewer expanded their emergency drinking water program through a partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council to help ensure members of our nation’s volunteer fire service have the resources they need to protect their communities.
Anheuser-Busch has committed to donating 1.5 million cans of water to volunteer fire departments in 2020 as they face unprecedented challenges. The first wave of deliveries totaling more than 1 million cans of water were delivered this summer to 150 fire departments across 38 states to help departments during the demanding wildfire season. Through their rapid response program, the brewer has also provided an additional 11,000 cans of water to support volunteer fire departments in California and Oregon who are in a declared state of emergency as they battle the ongoing wildfires.
Since the inception of the emergency drinking water program in 1988, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners have provided more than 83 million cans of water to U.S. communities nationwide.
ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH
For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate 23 breweries, 14 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States. We are home to several of America’s most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
POSTED AUGUST 27, 2020 - UPDATED OCTOBER 1, 2020
