Heaven Hill Brands aims to be a 'good neighbor' to West End with $800K investment

Poverty in west Louisville didn’t develop overnight, and to really go after the problem, Dave Christopher believes you need long-term support.

Heaven Hill Brands has a 25-year legacy in west Louisville's California neighborhood, and it wants to help.

Christopher’s nonprofit AMPED, which provides music education and workforce training to Black and brown communities, was among five West End organizations the bourbon giant chose for its new Spirited Neighbor Initiative. The company has committed a $800,000 investment over five years in the California neighborhood where it operates its Bernheim Distillery at the corner of Breckinridge and 17th streets.

The idea is to create long-term partnerships with public and nonprofit organizations west Louisville that support education, mental health and economic development. So often groups come in and make one-time donations that aren't capable of fostering dynamic change, Christopher explained. To really be a good neighbor and make a difference, a company's support must go beyond that.

“You don’t want us to have our hands out continually asking for help,” Christopher said. “What you want to do is take an organization and give them enough so that they can continue to become self-sustaining so that they can continue to do the work.”

Spirited Neighbor's other long-term partners are Change Today Change Tomorrow, Neighborhood House, Louisville Central Community Center, and West End School.

"We’re working with some key organizations that make up the fabric of the West End Community to support a sustainable, thriving California neighborhood now and for future generations,” said Allan Latts, co-president of Heaven Hill Brands.

A full $500,000 of that five-year $800,000 investment will go toward area nonprofits. Heaven Hill Brands is launching a new formalized grant program, so organizations in the area can apply for assistance.

Through the Spirited Neighbor Initiative, Heaven Hill Brands is also taking steps to improve the California neighborhood's infrastructure. The company has earmarked $250,000 to MSD to support sewer system improvements as well as $50,000 to plant new trees and shrubs along roadways.

Reporter Maggie Menderski can be reached at mmenderski@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Heaven Hill Brands makes $800,000 investment in West End neighborhoods