Local gastropub Ground Control received a $5,000 grant as part of FirstBank’s Good Business contest for going above and beyond for its employees, customers and community despite the challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ground Control was chosen by FirstBank as one of 10 winners of the bank’s Good Business contest and is one of three winners located in Arizona. 

They were also awarded an additional $1,000 to donate to an azgives.org nonprofit of their choosing.

Ground Control made its charitable donation to Gabriel's Angels, which inspires confidence, compassion and best behaviors in at-risk children through pet therapy. 

In their contest entry, Ground Control detailed its strategic efforts of how efficiently the eatery adapted to the COVID-19 mandatory shutdown while still being able to take care of their community and keep their employees on staff. 

These endeavors included the owner delivering orders beyond the 10-mile radius limit (the furthest being Yuma), offering free kids menu items while schools were closed for in-person learning, donating free meals to essential health care workers and first responders, hosting a mock graduation for a hard-working staff member who, at the time, was one credit short of graduating, and continuing efforts of giving back by currently donating free meals to educators once per week.

Best known as a local on-site coffee roaster and craft beer tap house, Ground Control also boasts an extensive food menu that includes breakfast burritos, handcrafted sandwiches and salads, as well as wood-fired oven pizzas. 

Ground Control is at 4860 North Litchfield Road. For more information, visit their website at groundxcontrol.com.