NEFT Vodka Donates Thousands to Local Bartenders

NEFT Vodka, the award-winning, ultra-premium vodka handcrafted in the Austrian Alps, announced after its first run of Vodka After Dark, a Virtual Cocktail Party Series, $2,000 will be donated to four bartenders from the South Bay of California who have been particularly impacted by COVID-19.

Three recipients were selected based on need, with a focus on single mothers. NEFT is currently looking to identify the fourth single mother from the service industry located in the South Bay who is in particular need due to COVID-19.

“Being a for-cause company has been a key tenet of the NEFT brand and culture from the beginning and, as such, we consistently donate 10 percent of our net proceeds to charitable organizations,” says Jeffrey Mahony, CEO of NEFT Vodka. “Our team is dedicated to improving the lives of the most vulnerable among us with an emphasis on at-risk women and children, but with an open mind to all charitable causes. When COVID-19 hit, we saw an opportunity to provide some much-needed aid to our local community through the weekly virtual cocktail series, and I’m pleased we are able to provide some near-term support to Kalia, Anissa and Cassidi.”

The three recipients who have already received the $2,000 donation are as follows:

Kaila Kalantarzadeh and Oliver

Kaila Kalantarzadeh

Kaila, a native Californian, and her son Oliver, 5, have been living in the South Bay on and off for about 10 years. At the time of the Shelter-in-Place order, Kaila was working at the Tortilla Cantina in Torrance, CA, where she has been a bartender for about 5 years.

Cassidi Mitchell and Kaila

Cassidi Mitchell

Cassidi, mother of 5-year-old daughter Knightley, has been working in the service industry in the South Bay for more than 15 years. Most recently, Cassidi was working at the Purple Orchid, where she has been a bartender for 12 years.

Anissa Vigil and son Micah

Anissa Vigil

Born and raised in the South Bay, Anissa has been working as a bartender for over 10 years. Anissa was working alongside Kaila at the Tortilla Cantina when the Shelter-in- Place order became effective. Anissa lives with her 15-year-old son, Micah.

The weekly livestreaming series was established in April in response to the severe impact the quarantine and related shutdown of restaurants and bars is having on bartenders and others in the service industry. Broadcast live each week from the NEFT Lounge, participants were encouraged to donate money to a dedicated GoFundMe page. All donations were then matched dollar for dollar by NEFT. Vodka After Dark will be returning for a second series after a brief hiatus. For more information, please follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

NEFT Vodka

Please visit GetNeft.com or NeftVodka.com for more information.