PORTLAND, Ore. — The goal at Tini's Cocktail Lounge in Northwest Portland is to change the world one drink at a time.
Tini’s is the tasting room for Dregs Vodka, a Portland-based vodka company that donates all profits to local charities that support low-income youth.
"We are 100% non-GMO potato vodka made right here in the great state of Oregon,” said Cody Salane, director of sales for Dregs.
Salane has been with the company since it started in 2019. The tasting room on Northwest 23rd opened earlier this year and offers unique and innovative cocktails. While the drinks on the menu stand out, so does the mission behind them.
"The thing that’s really, really special about us is that we actually function as the first and only not-for-profit alcohol brand in all off Oregon," said Salane.
"We believe in building businesses for a power of good rather than just pure profits," he added.
To date, they’ve raised about $40,000 for 16 Oregon nonprofits. One of those nonprofits is called Portland Youth Builders, which serves young people who either dropped out of high school or otherwise need support to get into a trade.
Tonia Kovtunovich, development director with Portland Youth Builders, said Dregs’ generosity has helped them pay for food, rent and support opportunities for young people who need it.
"Back when the pandemic first started back in 2020, they gave us a check for $10,000, no questions asked. No strings attached," said Kovtunovich. "And we used that to support our students who needed really intense services at that time."
Dregs Vodka is available in liquor stores around Oregon. Most of the nonprofits the company helps are based in Portland, but the company would eventually like to help youth in other cities and even different states.
"We’re going to do amazing things not only here in the state of Oregon but hopefully affect lives all over the country," said Salane. "We believe there's a way for everybody to help in any way possible."
Dregs Vodka is always looking for nonprofits to collaborate with as well as people to join its mission.