From Pints to Purpose: Brewgaloo® Aids Western NC Breweries with $25K Donation
Raleigh, NC - Shop Local Raleigh, the organization behind Brewgaloo®, North Carolina’s largest craft beer festival, has donated $25,000 from the 2025 event proceeds to the North Carolina Craft Brewers Foundation (NCCBF). The donation, presented on May 19th at Crank Arm Brewing in downtown Raleigh, will provide direct relief to breweries still working to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Lisa Parker, Executive Director of the NC Craft Brewers Foundation, shared her appreciation:
“This donation is a lifeline for the breweries hit hard by Hurricane Helene. It’s about more than rebuilding. It’s about preserving the community and creativity that define craft beer in North Carolina. We’re incredibly grateful to Shop Local Raleigh and everyone who has supported our industry this year.
The funding will support business recovery grants for independent craft breweries in western NC impacted by the storm, helping them rebuild infrastructure, replace equipment, and stabilize operations disrupted by the disaster.
Held on April 25 and 26, 2025 in the heart of downtown Raleigh, Brewgaloo® drives an average of over 60,000 attendees annually from across the country. With over 110 North Carolina breweries participating, the festival has become a pillar of the state’s independent craft beer scene and an economic driver.
“At our core, we are about small business and community,” said Jennifer Martin, Executive Director of Shop Local Raleigh and Director of Brewgaloo®. “Brewgaloo® began 14 years ago with a mission to create a new standard for festivals, one where breweries aren’t asked to give away their product or pay high fees just to participate. That mission lives on, and this donation is one more way we can support that vision and the people who make North Carolina’s beer scene what it is, especially during this incredibly difficult time.”
Founded in 2024 the North Carolina Craft Brewers Foundation focuses on hardship relief, workforce development, and education. Its mission is to foster resilience and long-term growth within the state’s independent craft brewing community.
Shop Local Raleigh has a record of supporting North Carolina Craft breweries. In the days following Hurricane Helene, the organization raised emergency funds through “Pouring for Neighbors” t-shirt sales at its Falling for Local festival. This June, Shop Local Raleigh will host the NC Hops Festival on June 14 at Midtown Park in Raleigh, where beer lovers can enjoy unlimited sips of NC craft beverages while shopping with local vendors, dining from food trucks, and grooving to live music.
Support North Carolina's craft brewing industry and help the breweries of western NC rebuild by donating to the NC Craft Brewers Guild Foundation. Visit our foundation page to contribute to grant funding efforts.
