Anheuser-Busch Sending 50,000 Cans of Emergency Drinking Water to Mississippi Communities Hit by Tornado

Anheuser-Busch is delivering over 50,000 cans of clean, safe emergency drinking water to help communities in and around Hattiesburg, Mississippi hit by last weekend’s devastating tornado.

The emergency delivery is scheduled to arrive in Hattiesburg on Thursday, January 26, where Southern Beverage Company, one of Anheuser-Busch’s wholesaler partners, and the local American Red Cross chapter will work together to distribute the water to those in need.

The water will be sent from the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Cartersville, Georgia, which pauses beer production periodically throughout the year to can drinking water so they are ready to help American communities in times of disaster. 

“We want to lend a hand to our neighbors,” said Kevin Fahrenkrog, General Manager of Anheuser-Busch’s Cartersville brewery. “Providing this emergency drinking water is the best way we can help right now.”

Damage in and around Hattiesburg is so severe that many impacted neighborhoods still remain inaccessible, according to the American Red Cross. Over 750 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and this number could exceed 1,000 once all areas are safe to enter and damage assessments are completed.

Since the 19^th century, Anheuser-Busch has had a longstanding tradition of providing water and supplies to those affected by natural disasters nationwide. In 2016, Anheuser-Busch produced and shipped over 2 million cans of emergency drinking water to communities hit by natural disasters, including the California wildfires, the Louisiana floods and Hurricane Matthew.