TIMMINS -- Full Beard Brewing in Timmins has come up with a new ale named 'Together, We Are Stronger,' with an eye on making a positive impact during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Full Beard is selling the beer to licensed restaurants in the area with their takeout meals at a reduced price so they, in turn, can make a profit.

"We want people to go to our licensees, order food and support them," said Benjie Potvin, co-owner of Full Beard Brewing. "This way, they can survive and it comes full circle."

The brewery will also sell cans onsite, a maximum of two per person. Full Beard said it's not making any profit off the sales, and instead is giving an expected $4,500 to the Timmins Chamber of Commerce's personal protective equipment support grant.

"Everybody coming together for the good of the community and it's all about giving back," said chamber president Val Venneri. "The community's been really good to these businesses and they, in turn, are paying it back. It's a win, win."

Newmont Porcupine started the grant initiative, creating a pool of money for personal protective equipment. Local businesses can draw from the fun to help buy things like Plexiglas and other safety equipment.

"For Newmont Porcupine, it's important that our businesses reopen safely," said Brian Neely of Newmont Porcupine. "For our employees, for all of our neighbours, our host communities, we want to ensure that all businesses reopen safely."

Full Beard is also working with another brewery -- New Ontario Brewing in North Bay. It has purchased some of that brewery's hand sanitizer to donate to the chamber's PPE fund.

"We know the cost is pretty high for some of the hand sanitizer, whether you buy it from other companies or not," said Jonathan St Pierre, co-owner of Full Beard. "We can get it at a reasonable price and we're looking at trying to give some to the PPE program."

To date, the chamber's PPE fund has doled out $45,000 to help businesses get ready to reopen when the green light is given.