M.I.K.I.D and Red, White & Brew partner to raise money

Red, White & Brew is partnering for the month of May with Mentally Ill Kids in Distress (M.I.K.I.D) at its Mesa and Prescott restaurants. The Arizona nonprofit is committed to improving the behavioral health and wellness of children and youth through its family centered approach.

Starting today through May 31st guests can “Dine & Donate” by ordering the popular Lemon Basil Chicken entree and or a Church Music IPA from The Shop Beer Co. $2 will be donated for each entree ordered and $1 from each beer sold hurchwill be donated to directly to M.I.K.I.D. Every bite and sip will help to raise money for critical support, preventive education and reunification of families navigating the challenges of youth mental health throughout Arizona.

For more information visit Red, White & Brew’s and M.I.K.I.D. websites.

The Shop Beer Co. hosts inaugural Good Fest on May 13th

This Saturday, May 13th local brewer The Shop Beer Co. and Pivot Cycles will host the Good Fest at the Tempe brewery benefiting the Armer Foundation for Kids. The local non-profit’s mission is to support families whose children are facing life altering diagnoses. Saturday’s Good Fest will honor the late “Armer Kid” Logan Gidley and will feature a limited edition beer, food, live music and a bike raffle. “What The Shop Beer Co. and Pivot Cycles are doing to help us raise awareness and funds to help families like Logan’s is incredible,” said Jennifer Armer, founder of The Armer Foundation for Kids.

The festival goes from 3 – 8 p.m. with attendees enjoying local fare from Bacanora, Bad Jimmy’s and Il Bosco Pizza. The “Good Good” Double Hazy IPA will be released on Saturday, is a limited edition collaboration with The Shop Beer Co. and Missouri’s Boulevard Brewing. Artist J. Pierce designed the label paying tribute to Logan’s favorite things to do, biking, music and gaming. J.Pierce also designed the brewer’s popular and Church Music IPA label and the bike being raffled off by Pivot Cylcles. The custom painted bicycle will mimic the Church Music label and is valued at $3,000.

The Shop Beer Co. and Amer Foundation for Kids

“We personally know many of the families the Armer Foundation has supported over the years and want to do our part in giving back to help even more of our community members whose children are facing life-threatening illnesses, like Logan,” said Mikel Anne Arnce, co-founder of The Shop Beer Co.

Pivot Cycles is challenging riders of all ages to ride 13 hours before the Good Fest and to ride by The Shop Beer Co. on Saturday in Logan’s honor.  “Logan loved hitting the trails and enjoying the sunshine and it really inspired us to not only give back a bike but also continue Logan’s legacy with a #iridewithLogan challenge,” said Rachel When, Athlete Coordinator for Pivot Cycles. You can log your rides at their website and show the Pivot crew you log on Saturday to get some swag.

Tickets for Good Fest are $10 online in advance and $15 at the door. Children get in for free and can play games including cornhole, Jenga and play at a putting green. Tickets can be purchased by going to the Armer Foundation’s website. The brewery is at 922 W. 1st St. Tempe 85281.

Check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Chris Bianco to headline table to the farm dinner at RhibaFarms

James Beard award-winning chef Chris Bianco leads a line-up with five other local chefs as they bring the table to the farm for an exclusive fundraising dinner. The “Spring Fling” farmraiser will benefit San Tan Valley’s RhibaFarms, a 3.3 acre farm, local restaurants source for produce, mushrooms, microgreens, eggs and other ingredients.

The Saturday May 19th dinner will also include local chefs Jason McGrath of J’s Kaiyo, David Traina of Liberty Market, Craig Plevak of Fire & Foraged, Sasha Raj of 24 Carrots and Micah Wyzlic  of Phoenix City Grille.

Beers will be paired with each course have been selected by The Shop Beer Co. as well as beers created that will be incorporated into the dishes. The Shop Beer Co. uses RhibaFarms ingredients for its beers and gives the farm their spent grains to use as compost.

The farms Food Rescue program helps to fuel the soil that grows the ingredients that are not always associated with being grown in the desert.

Dining at RhibaFarms

Guest will enjoy the unique experience dining at the farm and will see first hand how much urban farms can grow and contribute to the local community.

The vegetarian dinner will include chef Bianco’s all Arizona sourced risotto entrée using Sonoran White Wheat with Blue Oyster mushrooms and smoke tri-color beets with pickled RhibaFarm vegetables from chef Wyzlic.

For  a true farm experience diners will be eating in the fields among the crops and are asked to bring a flashlight and dinner plate. The working farm has no paved paths.

Blind auction

There will be a blind auction fundraiser with private dinners from the chefs and other goodies up for auction.

Dinner will be from 5p.m. – 8p.m. with limited seating. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased here.

RhibaFarms is at 40792 N. Rattlesnake Rd. San Tan Valley 85140.