Although the beer industry can be competitive, eight local craft breweries have come together through Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity to donate money and service to the House That Beer Built project, rebuilding the Andrasik family’s home lost in the High Park Fire last year.
The House That Beer Built Community Funded project, a Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity home, strives to raise $100,000 to rebuild the Andrasik’s house in Rist Canyon by Aug. 31. One year after the High Park Fire, the Fort Collins community is joining efforts to give those affected a place to call home again.
“It’s a collaborative effort from eight craft breweries here in Fort Collins,” said Raquel Martinez, Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity communications and annual campaign manager. “They want to set an example for the brewing industry to put aside competition and give back to the community of Fort Collins.”
Black Bottle Brewery, C.B. & Potts Restaurant & Brewery, Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing, Equinox Brewing, Fort Collins Brewery, Odell Brewing, New Belgium Brewing and Pateros Creek Brewing are donating sales made on HTBB kegs in August, as well as helping build the home itself.
“Without the support from the community, people like you, we would not be here,” Ms. Andrasik wrote to Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity. “We have had a tremendous out-pouring from the community. That has been the silver lining and a blessing in disguise. I just cannot tell you how much this means to our family.”
In conjunction with the NoCo Rebuilding Network, Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity plans to rebuild with fire protection efforts.
“The new home will be built on the Andrasiks’ same property,” Martinez said. “We will be using all the appropriate fire prevention precautions such as fire lines, removing surrounding trees and making it easily accessible to emergency vehicles.”
It’s other companies such as Odell’s that have helped turned this project into action.
“We have the ability and the man power,” said Karla Baise, Odell Brewing Company’s Community Outreach Coordinator. “We are doing crowd funding, helping to try and get the word out. It was a good fit for us because the breweries were all highly involved with High Park Fire victims,” Baise said.
Odell’s has offered brewer-based rewards on the Community Funded page to help achieve the $100,000 goal.
The timeline for the HTBB project is swift.
“We would really like to get the Andrasik family into their home by the holidays,” Baise said. “Hopefully walls will be up by the end of August, and the family in their new home by November,” Baise said.
The Fort Collins community can donate through the HTBB Community Funded website as well as volunteer to help build the Andrasik’s new home.
Content producer Sarah Prinz can be reached at news@collegian.com.
