Big Grove Brewery presented a $6,000 “big check” to the Johnson County-based Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. This is the fourth year DVIP and Big Grove have partnered on the Equalitea Sour Ale project benefitting DVIP. The check presentation follows the recent DVIP announcement to build a new emergency shelter for victims of intimate partner violence in Johnson County.
Doug Goettsch, Co-Founder of Big Grove Brewery noted “to have to search for safety and security is often the worst moment of a person's life. DVIP provides a place for people to go, for children, women, and men. We’re just trying to make our corner of the world better and have that ripple out around us, for DVIP, Iowa City, and the greater community.”
Big Grove was a 2022 recipient of the Pat Meyer Vision Award for outstanding commitment to ending domestic violence. The Equalitea Sour Ale project was initiated by Katie Kiesewetter, bartender at Big Grove and MFA candidate at the University of Iowa School of Art & Art History. "I'm thrilled to see our partnership with DVIP entering its fourth year,” said Kiesewetter. “The monetary support provided by Equalitea Sour Ale has a direct impact in supporting victims/survivors, to be sure, but the more you talk about this beer and the more you share the program's mission, the more people in your community know how to access confidential services to seek safety for themself or someone they know."
On joining forces with Big Grove Brewery, Alta Medea-Peters, DVIP Director of Community Engagement remarked, “partnering with Big Grove is a huge impact, giving us a mainstream conversation.” Medea-Peters continued, “to partner with an established brewery, we know that victim-survivors find out about word of mouth. The more places we've seen, the more impact we have. The more we’re able to create awareness, the more we’re able to take the isolation away.”
Next year marks the 5th year for the Big Grove Equalitea Sour Ale and DVIP partnership. Greater distribution of Big Grove Equalitea Sour Ale is planned to bolster DVIP and generate more awareness for its services in eastern Iowa. Information and donations to DVIP can be made here.
About the Domestic Violence Intervention Program: The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) provides comprehensive services to victim-survivors of intimate partner violence. For over 40 years, DVIP has offered support, resources, and safety to individuals in an eight-county service region which includes Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Johnson, Lee, Van Buren, and Washington counties. DVIP’s services include a 24/7/365 hotline, shelter, safety planning, advocacy, trauma-informed counseling, emergency pet programs, and more. Individuals who need help should call their hotline at 1-800-373-1043.