America Supports You: Distillery Raises Glass to Troops, Support Group

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

June 6, 2008 - With symbolic glasses raised on high, Jim Beam distillery offered a toast to U.S. servicemembers and their families with a $175,000 donation to Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to the nation's troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home.

In supporting the organization, Jim Beam honors it as part of the brand's renewed top-down commitment to its own original values of true character, integrity and doing the right thing, Jim Beam officials said in a news release announcing the donation.

"Jim Beam is doing the right thing by helping us keep military families and wounded warriors from homelessness and to keep these families safe and secure," said Amy Palmer, executive vice president of operations and development for Operation Homefront. "We're so grateful for this donation, which will allow us to enhance our support of the brave men and women in uniform and their families who are experiencing hardships."

The admiration is mutual.

"We're so proud of Operation Homefront and all that they do, so we're putting it right on our bottle," said Fred Noe, seventh-generation Beam distiller and self-described Beam family ambassador. "A special limited-edition Operation Homefront label is going on more than 500,000 bottles of Jim Beam bourbon."

In addition, Jim Beam has partnered with the ABC Fine Wine and Spirits chain in Florida to celebrate America and support the nation's military families.

"Jim Beam has the heritage of the only distilled spirit indigenous to America," said Andy Abernathy, senior vice president, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits. "As the largest bourbon retailer in the state, we are thrilled we can show respect for our country while providing our customers with an opportunity for them to support Operation Homefront."

ABC Fine Wine and Spirits will donate $1 for every 750 milliliter bottle of Jim Beam White and Jim Beam Black sold between June 1 and July 6. Patrons also will have a chance to learn more about the military and Operation Homefront at ABC Fine Wine and Spirit stores throughout the Sunshine State.

Operation Homefront and military personnel will greet customers at various locations, which will have military vehicles, including Humvees and tanks, on display, through July 6.

Jim Beam also is inviting its customers of legal drinking age to support the troops by posting a toast on its "The Stuff Inside" Web site. Toasts will appear on the site until July 4. Of those submitted, best toast or toasts that capture the spirit of "the stuff inside" may be considered for use in Jim Beam advertising, officials said.

Bottles of Jim Beam featuring the limited edition Operation Homefront labels are on store shelves now and are estimated to be available until July 4.

Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.