A program started by two entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C., to let Americans buy beer for furloughed federal employees in the nation’s capital is going national.
Just one week since launching PayItFurloughed.com, the group has partnered with the Pabst Blue Ribbon brand to take the platform and its message national.
Its founders, Al Goldberg and Nevin Martell, say they have been inundated with requests from across the country to bring the platform’s benefits to other regions, so more furloughed workers can partake.
“In times like these, a beer isn’t just a beer. It’s a vote of support. It’s a simple way for Americans to let the people affected know that, ‘We see you. Hang in there. We got you’,” says Martell.
Pay It Furloughed’s first live national activation – Pay It Furloughed Day – takes place tomorrow (1/24) in more than 25 cities across the U.S.
It will be the biggest effort of its kind – a nationwide call to action for Americans to buy furloughed federal employees a much-needed beer during these stressful times – either in person or through its website.
Pabst Blue Ribbon will lend its voice and reach to take the D.C.-area initiative to a nationwide philanthropy effort. “Pabst has spent 175 years serving the people who serve this country. Being able to help give them a little hope in a moment of crisis gives us an immense amount of pride. American optimism is what our brand is all about, and there’s nothing more optimistic than Americans propping each other up like this. We couldn’t be more happy to help bring this idea to the next level,” says Justin Medcraft, Marketing Director for Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Pabst Blue Ribbon will provide support through social media, PR, and its national field marketing team. Says Medcraft, “The generosity of Nevin and Al on behalf of the people affected most by the shutdown is incredibly inspiring. They needed help scaling, and we’re putting the full weight of our team behind this thing.”
In a related development, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce say it host “Day 35,” an event highlighting the economic impacts of the partial federal government shutdown, on Friday (9/25). The event will feature people from around the country who are being impacted by the shutdown, including small business owners, representatives of companies aiding those affected, and experts on the economic consequences.