As we have spent time reflecting the ongoing issue of racial inequality, we continue to ask ourselves how we can stand up for justice and give direct support.

In the immediate, we will be:

• Reassessing our community vendors to support more Black-owned businesses within our Bottle Shop offerings at our farm

• Working to develop relationships with Black-owned businesses & farmers in Chicago and Michigan

In the short-term, we will be:

• Contributing $5,000 to Urban League of West Michigan to continue their efforts in empowering the Black community and other groups to achieve economic self-reliance, parity and civil rights.

In the long-term, we will be:

• Committing ourselves to learning and growing our practices to promote racial equality through the training and development of our D&I Committee, our employees, and our partners.

• Working to promote a space for diversity amongst our team members by actively recruiting a diverse pool of applicants, and pursing a mentorship program to invest in future diverse candidates.

In order to be true allies, we must put meaningful action behind our words. The work is just beginning for us and will always be a work in progress. Visit back here often for updates on how we are doing our part to support the Black community and create positive change within our own communities. 

We are by no means experts on the matter, and we are always open for ideas that we can implement. If you see something that we can do, feel free to message us your ideas. We are listening, and we stand with you. 

-   Virtue Cider