Guinness announced a multi-year partnership with Joe Burrow Thursday. He is pledging hours of his time to serve communities in need as part of the Guinness Gives Back program. The goal is to get Americans to pledge more than one million service hours to support their communities.
Burrow will join Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana in the brands charitable efforts.
“Many people in our country are facing a series of challenges right now and can benefit from the support of others, and I am humbled to be in a position to make a difference – and encourage others to do so, as well,” Burrow said. “Teaming up with a brand like Guinness, who has ‘giving back’ at the core of what they do, just makes sense.”
The Ohio-native first inspired millions in his 2019 Heisman Trophy speech. Burrow spoke about the poverty and food insecurity in Southeast Ohio and his hometown of Athens, Ohio. The Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund was created following the speech and surpassed $1.6 million of donations in February 2022.
“Burrow is a talent on the field – and it’s been fun to watch what he’s been able to accomplish so early in his career,” Montana said. “But it’s also inspiring to see what he’s doing off the field by giving back and investing his time for good causes. I’m looking forward to working with Joe and Guinness to help spread the message and encourage others to give their time to their communities for those in need.”
Guinness has been serving those who need it most since the company began in 1759. During the pandemic, while the gates to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore were closed to the public, the team baked and donated over 50,000 loaves of “brewers’ bread” to the Maryland Food Bank, at a time when COVID-19 was creating greater food scarcity concerns within the community. In addition to their commitment to service, Guinness is approaching nearly $3 million in donations to charitable organizations since the onset of the pandemic.
“At Guinness we seek out partners with heart, and grit, and our shared values of power, goodness and communion,” explained Jay Sethi, CMO, Diageo Beer Company. “Joe Montana and Joe Burrow embody these same values through their work and the examples they’ve set. These men will help elevate our pledge of service to get the national attention and commitment our country deserves.”