Spirits company Uncle Nearest recently brought back their annual initiative that’s dedicated to raising money for HBCUs.
Having already begun for the second time since its inception, the Old Fashioned Challenge will span until Juneteenth (Jun. 19) this year. Through the initiative, Uncle Nearest will aim to raise approximately $1.4 million in funds for students who attend HBCUs.
Open to the public, the Old Fashion Challenge will consist of the company donating $1 per cocktail that is ordered at participating bars and restaurants. The donation will also be made for every bottle that’s purchased online or at an in-person store involved with the project as well as for every picture of a homemade Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned submitted onto the company’s site.
For those who want to make a larger contribution, Uncle Nearest will make a $2 match donation for every bundle purchased using ReserveBar.
In its inaugural year last year, the spirits company raised nearly $1 million, contributing to approximately 79 scholarships for HBCU students.
“Before we sold our first bottle of Uncle Nearest, we were already funding the college education of Nearest Green’s descendants,” said Fawn Weaver, Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest per the press release. “Every semester, writing those checks brought me immense joy, knowing the significant impact they would have on each student’s life. It’s an honor, and my hope is that we can continue this tradition annually with the checks growing larger as the Uncle Nearest whiskey family expands.”
With the Old Fashioned Challenge, the company is doing its part in trying to address the underfunding of HBCUs.
According to a report by Inside Higher Education, 16 out of 19 states with HBCU land grant universities have underfunded the institutions by $13 billion throughout three decades, spanning from 1987 to 2020. The funding gap was particularly prominent in states such as Tennessee, North Carolina and Florida with a combined gap of approximately $6.2 million.
The lack of financial support for HBCUs continued even as rates of admission were increasing steadily. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, from 1976 to 2010, the number of students who attended HBCUs grew by 47% percent.
Several initiatives such as the Old Fashioned Challenge have been successful in addressing this issue.
Earlier last month, the UNCF announced that they’ll be increasing the endowments of each HBCU enrolled in UNCF’s campaign by $2.7 million.
The increase was announced as part of a $100 million donation by Lilly Endowment Inc.
