5 minute read
Cocktails for a Cause
Bardenay – Huckleberry Infusion PHOTO BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ
44° North Vodka Partners with FARE Idaho to Support Idaho’s Independent Food and Beverage Businesses
By Tim Atwell
“No amount of physical contact could match the healing powers of a well made cocktail,” humorist David Sedaris once wrote. This fall, cocktails’ healing powers were directed toward Idaho’s independent food and beverage businesses during Cocktails for a Cause.
The three-day fundraiser generated money to help independent businesses recover from pandemic aftershocks and move toward a brighter future. 44° North Vodka partnered with bars and restaurants statewide to host the event and raise money for FARE Idaho, a non-profit dedicated to helping Idaho’s independent businesses.
Chandlers – Huckleberry Mule
PHOTO BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ
During Cocktails for a Cause, bartenders created their own well made cocktails highlighting 44° North Vodka and its signature Idaho ingredients: potatoes, wheat, and huckleberries, to name a few. For each cocktail sold, 44° North Vodka matched a one dollar donation from participating locations.
“The establishment donates a dollar, and then we donate a dollar. We’re contributing up to $10,000,” said Jaclyn Padgett, Vice President of Business Development and Client Relations at 44° North Vodka. “Our distillery is here in Idaho. Our offices and a majority of our staff are here as well. We’re very big into supporting our community. If we can help someone else do more, we’re happy to do that.”
FARE Idaho is a non-profit trade association that unites and advocates for the state’s independent restaurants, family farms, retailers, and producers of food and beverage. Inspiration for the non-profit occurred at the beginning of the pandemic, when small businesses faced major disruptions to their operations.
Amsterdam Lounge – (Left to right) French 44, Rowdy Kate, Nectarine Blossom
PHOTO BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ
“When the pandemic hit, about 180 independent food and beverage establishments got together, really concerned. How are we going to navigate the pandemic? Are we going to lose our businesses? What’s this going to look like in six months?” said Katie Baker, Executive Director at FARE Idaho. “There’s a realization: we don’t have a trade association that represents our interests.”
Baker joined the conversation in April 2020, driven by a desire to help farmers and other small business owners. Prior to joining FARE, Baker and her children volunteered at Idaho’s Bounty to help package small farmers’ meat and produce for retail consumption.
“Some people look up to celebrities or authors. For me, it was always farmers,” said Baker. “They steward and they have such care for the animals and the land…they’re kind of the unsung heroes of our food system.”
The Modern – Nectarine Mule
PHOTO BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ
Baker stepped into her role at FARE when she saw that her heroes needed help. The small farms and businesses that provided bounty to local communities were struggling, throttled by supply chain issues, staffing shortages, and closures.
In the midst of turmoil at the beginning of the pandemic, farms, restaurants, bars, and other independent businesses convened to discuss the problems they faced. In doing so, they discovered a shared set of challenges under which they could unite.
“We decided to structure our organization around the local food system because one of our goals was to build a more resilient food system, and we couldn’t see a path forward to do that if they were just an independent restaurant group or just a farm group,” said Baker. “We had to connect these people somehow.”
The Modern – Cherry Mocha Martini
PHOTO BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ
FARE Idaho’s goal is to build a strong community of independent businesses who can support each other and advocate for a set of shared interests. Members of the non-profit pay an annual fee to be a part of the community and gain access to a range of benefits including discounted services, legal consultations, and a connection to the FARE network of independent business owners.
What started as a conversation has since turned into a movement. In a little over two years since first meeting, FARE Idaho has helped connect and amplify the voices of Idaho’s independent business owners to build community and drive systemic change. 44° North Vodka is a member of FARE Idaho, with a vested interest in the success of the community. They committed to match donations from Cocktails for a Cause and support their fellow independent businesses after experiencing firsthand the positive effects of the movement.
“It’s a way to help so many people…all the way from farm to table,” said Padgett. “It helps so many different types of businesses in which we’re involved, in which we utilize our Idaho economies. It is important for us [44° North Vodka] to be a part of this.”
Farm-to-table will be the theme of FARE Idaho’s next event, the Field-to-Fork Festival, which is scheduled for January 19 at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place (JUMP) in downtown Boise. The event is open to the public and will feature educational sessions, panel discussions, and chef-led classes to celebrate Idaho’s farmers, ranchers, and food producers.
While David Sedaris may have found healing through a well made cocktail, the members of FARE have found healing through community. Together, independent food and beverage businesses have bonded to rebound from the pandemic and build a better path forward.
As Baker put it, “We’re finally bringing everyone together.”
