We are well overdue for an update! Things have been incredibly busy around the brewery and Street Kitchen and here are just some of the things we’ve been up to over the last several months.
With guidance from our sessions with Ren Navarro of Beer.Diversity (which we hope will continue indefinitely), the entire Parallel 49 team worked together to identify and craft a Mission and Values statement that guide us in every aspect of our day. (You may have seen the artwork for it front and centre in the Street Kitchen if you’ve visited recently.) Our Mission, Vision and Core Values are not a cure-all, but rather a baseline for our collective conduct and a way for us to check in with each other and our community on a daily basis.
In December, we offered two beer collaborations for charity: Bubbie’s Brew benefited Jewish Family Services and No Way Jaan benefited the Vancouver Food Bank. Tallies for both will be found in our next update. https://www.instagram.com/p/CIOLn8MhC7V/
In November, we shipped 400 litres of hand sanitizer to Keewaywin School in Ontario and Gwen MacNeil in Nunavut for a supply drive for Indigenous communities spearheaded by Ren Navarro. We were thrilled to be able to contribute in a small way. https://www.instagram.com/p/CFuFMz2Fs8Q/
For those who may have missed it in the last update, all staff and owners completed Respectful Workplace Training with The Neutral Zone in the Fall. We also have in place a People and Culture Manager and we have worked to make a cultural shift to create an environment where issues and grievances are always addressed in a safe and supportive environment. These changes are not as easily quantified as a charity donation or set of values, but together we are creating a more positive and healthier workplace.
Coming up in 2021, we have several exciting announcements in the pipeline (but details are under wraps for a little while longer). One we can announce is that in 2021, Parallel 49 Brewing is committed to raising $50,000 over the course of the year to a wide variety for charity and non-profit groups. This is a large undertaking and every donation will be chosen to align with our values of inclusivity, equality, community consciousness and accessibility, which includes special care and consideration for BIPOC and LGBTQIA2+ groups.
Finally, ownership would like to express our immense gratitude for #teamP49. Thank you to our staff, who have shown us the leadership and commitment required for real growth and change. They hold us accountable, inspire us, challenge us, and show up every day with a passion for craft beer and determination to be better than yesterday.
Covid has challenged small businesses like no other time in history and the way our customers, staff and community continue to show up for us is truly humbling. Thank you for your support and please know that every day we work to earn it.
If you have any questions comments, please feel free to reach out to community@parallel49brewing.com.