VNA Hops for Hospice Brings Community Together in Support of Compassionate Care

On Saturday, June 27, more than 250 guests and over 60 dedicated volunteers gathered at the Porter County Expo Center for VNA Hospice NWI’s sixth annual Hops for Hospice, an afternoon celebrating local craft beverages, delicious food, live music, and a shared commitment to compassionate hospice care.

The Expo Center was filled with energy as attendees sampled offerings from dozens of regional breweries, wineries, and beverage vendors while enjoying live performances by Bryan Elliott and Duke Tumatoe, whose music provided the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of community, conversation, and giving back. Local favorites including Burn ‘Em Brewing, Hunter’s Brewing and Blockhead Beer Works joined many others in demonstrating their support for VNA Hospice and its mission of providing exceptional end-of-life care throughout Northwest Indiana.

Volunteers kept the event running smoothly, welcoming guests, serving beverages, and creating an atmosphere that reflected the warmth and compassion at the heart of VNA Hospice. The event also ensured that everyone could participate by offering a variety of nonalcoholic beverages.

“I’m not a drinker,” VNA Hospice volunteer Dawn Adams said, “so for people like me, if it was just alcohol, they wouldn’t come. This gives people the chance to come and support the VNA and still have something that they can join in with.”

The inclusive atmosphere has helped Hops for Hospice become a community tradition. Now in its sixth year, the event continues to grow, attracting more attendees, volunteers, sponsors, breweries, and beverage partners while raising critical funds to support the nonprofit hospice’s mission.

As one of the few remaining nonprofit hospice organizations in Northwest Indiana, VNA Hospice relies on community support to continue providing expert hospice and palliative care, grief support, and other essential services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Events like Hops for Hospice not only generate vital financial support but also strengthen community awareness of the organization’s mission and the compassionate care it provides every day.

According to VNA Hospice President and CEO Bob Franko, Hops for Hospice serves a purpose beyond fundraising by introducing new audiences to the organization’s work and connecting families with valuable resources before they need hospice services.

“There’s a couple of reasons why we do this event,” Franko said. “One is that you see the demographic that’s here, it’s people that are in their late 20s up to their early 60s. That’s the generation of people right now that are taking care of moms and dads, and the older generation. People really struggle with taking care of moms and dads when they’re raising their own families, so we really want to be a resource for them.”

For Franko, the afternoon also provides an opportunity to recognize the remarkable people behind VNA Hospice’s mission. “What I’m most proud of is our staff. There are very few people in the world that can do what they do, being around death and dying every day. We know how the story ends with every single family we work with, yet our staff—this is what they choose to do. It’s really a privilege for me to be able to work with a team of people who have made this choice that this is what they want to do, and these kinds of events are where we get to tell that story,” Franko said.

As guests enjoyed an afternoon of craft beverages, flavorful food, outstanding live entertainment, and fellowship, every ticket purchased and every toast raised helped support the compassionate care VNA Hospice provides to patients and families throughout the region. Hops for Hospice is more than a brewfest—it is a celebration of community, generosity, and the belief that everyone deserves dignity, comfort, and compassionate care at the end of life.

For more information about VNA Hospice NWI and its services, visit vnanwi.org.