Can’d Aid and Oskar Blues Brewery Team Up to Fill Water Need in the Southwest, Sending Over 98,000 Cans of Water to Local Communities

April 7, 2020

As underserved and rural communities across the country prepare for necessity shortages and income losses, Can’d Aid and friends distribute water to families and communities in need.

LONGMONT, CO (April 7, 2020) — In an effort to offer immediate assistance to areas in need during the COVID-19 outbreak, Can’d Aid and partners Oskar Blues Brewery, Ball Corporation and Coyote Logistics sent 48,000 cans of water to the Food Bank of the Rockies and another 50,400 cans to the Navajo & Hopi COVID-19 relief initiative.

“The communities that are especially susceptible at this time have a high number of people with underlying health issues caused by abandoned uranium mines,” says Jessica Stago, Director of Native America Economic Initiatives at the Grand Canyon Trust. “They live in very rural areas making it difficult to access healthcare and basic necessities and they rely on water resources that are used community wide, increasing the risk of exposure. We are trying to deliver food and water to these families to reduce these risk factors and stop the spread of COVID-19.”

The Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation are extreme food deserts with only ten grocery stores on Navajo land to serve approximately 180,000 people and only one grocery store on Hopi land to serve 3,000 people. These communities also have high numbers of elderly, diabetic, and cancer-afflicted high risk individuals. (Navajo & Hopi COVID-19 Relief Fund)

Furthermore, the Navajo Nation reported its first two coronavirus cases on March 17. As of March 26, there have been 69 reported cases. The reservation is under shelter-in-place orders, but thousands of people must regularly leave their houses for necessities such as water. (NPR)

“We believe there’s never been a better time to practice and demonstrate empathy. Can’d Aid is adjusting to this new normal by finding impactful and authentic ways to do people-powered good and increase connection, even if it is virtual,” says Diana Ralston, Can’d Aid Executive Director. “By remaining true to our roots during these unprecedented times, we are able to quickly and effectively aid those in need of basic life securities, while, at the same time, lessening the impact of single-use plastics on our already taxed environment.”

Food Bank of the Rockies expects food and water insecurities to increase in the coming weeks, as many more people in the community go without wages.

One truckload of Can’d Aid canned water was delivered to the Food Bank of the Rockies last week. The other was delivered to the Navajo & Hopi communities today.

Thank you to Oskar Blues Brewery, CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective and Coyote Logistics for donating supplies, time and services.

Photos:           Can’d Aid Canned Water Photography & Video Footage
Where:           Food Bank of the Rockies, 10700 E 45th Ave, Denver, CO 80239
Taala Hoghan Infoshop 1704 N. 2nd St. Flagstaff, AZ 86004

Contact:        

Amanda Goad, pr@candaid.org, 970-403-4101
Diana Ralston, Executive Director,  diana@candaid.org, 970-275-5156

About Can’d Aid

Can’d Aid spreads people powered do goodery through towns, tunes, treads & trails and love yur mama efforts nationwide. Core programs develop healthy and whole humans capable and inspired to nurture a healthy and whole planet. Since its inception in 2013, more than 1.7 million cans of water have been shipped post-disaster, over 4,000 bikes and 600 skateboards have been built for underprivileged youth, 2,100 instruments have been donated and the equivalent of 66 million cans recycled. To donate, join the do-goodery or find out more, please visit candaid.org.

About Oskar Blues Brewery

Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 in Lyons, Colorado, Oskar Blues Brewery launched the craft-beer-in-a-can apocalypse with their hand-canned flagship brew, Dale’s Pale Ale. Today, Oskar Blues operates breweries in Colorado, North Carolina and Texas featuring Dale’s Pale Ale as the nation’s #3 top-selling craft can six-pack at U.S. supermarkets. Oskar Blues is available nationwide in the US and in over 20 countries. Oskar Blues Brewery is a proud member of CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective, a disruptive collective of like-minded craft brewers dedicated to bringing high-quality, innovative flavors to drinkers in the name of independent craft beer.

About Coyote Logistics, LLC, A UPS Company

Coyote Logistics is a leading global third-party logistics provider that combines a diverse, centralized transportation marketplace matching more than 10,000 shipments every day. Coyote offers a comprehensive multi-modal solutions portfolio—including truckload, less than truckload (LTL) and intermodal—with data intelligence and market insights to help empower our customers’ business growth in a rapidly changing world. Coyote became a UPS company in 2015, adding to our expanding portfolio of global services. Headquartered in Chicago, Coyote has more than 3,000 employees operating in 20 offices worldwide. For more information, please visit: Coyote.com.

###