WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.-- A Triad distillery joins many others in using leftover alcohol to make hand sanitizer for free.

Broad Branch Distillery uses leftover ethanol from distilling whiskey, mixes it, and bottles it for use. Distiller Joe Tappe says he was excited when the distillery took on the project.

He says, "we had some folks get a hold of us and say 'how are y'all making this' and we've been thinking about it for a little bit. We saw some distilleries out west who were doing so and we thought this is something we can do. This is not hard."

Tappe compares it to companies re-utilizing their efforts in World War II.

Each day, Broad Branch makes more than 4,000 bottles of hand sanitizer. People can come in to the shop and get two ounce bottles of hand sanitizer. Tappe says he's seen first responders and healthcare workers getting supplies for their teams.

"Everybody's who's coming in left and right trying to get something for their workers, they care for their people and we want to care for them caring for their people," he says.

Apart from helping those fighting COVID-19, Broad Branch is also helping kids in the Triad. The distillery has raised more than $4,000 for the Lynn H. Berry Buddy Fund. It's a fund that helps Winston-Salem Forsyth County students get food, clothes, and school supplies. Customers have steadily donated over the past few weeks.

Tappe says, "how can you possibly be blessed more than have the opportunity to do good by doing what you do everyday?"

As of Thursday, Broad Branch still has hand sanitizer for pick-up. They say they'll have to stop production soon, due to a production slow-down.