Phish’s WaterWheel Foundation Teams With Local Organizations For September 2025 Tour
The band’s long-running charity organization will work with nonprofits in the Birmingham, Alpharetta and Hampton areas.
By Andy Kahn Sep 9, 2025 • 12:06 pm PDT
Phish’s long-running Waterwheel Foundation has “has raised millions and supported more than 500 nonprofits from coast to coast” since it was founded by the band in 1997. Those figures will continue to grow when Phish embarks on its upcoming September 2025 Tour, which will once again see WaterWheel’s Touring Division working with local nonprofit organizations located in the areas the band will be playing.
Phish – Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman – initially launched The WaterWheel Foundation in order to process the proceeds the band received from Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream to support environmental protection efforts. Phish soon brought representatives from WaterWheel on tour with the purpose of raising money for local nonprofits near where the band performed.
“Waterwheel is the best idea that we ever had,” Fishman previously stated. “In the end, I think Waterwheel will be the most important thing that this band leaves behind.”
WaterWheel’s Touring Division will be on site for Phish’s debut at Birmingham, Alabama’s Coca-Cola Amphitheater on September 13 and 14. There will also be WaterWheel reps at Phish’s shows on September 16 and 17 at Ameris Bank Amphitheater in Alpharetta, Georgia and their return to Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia for a three-night stand September 19 – 21.
WaterWheel and local nonprofits will host community volunteer events during the day, before plays in the area in the evening. Fans attending the tour are encouraged to stop by a WaterWheel table at a show to support the local beneficiaries. Donations can also be made directly to the WaterWheel foundation.
Visit The WaterWheel Foundation website for more information and to register to volunteer. Scroll on to learn more about the local nonprofit WaterWheel tour beneficiaries and community events for Phish’s upcoming September 2025 Tour dates.
Tour Beneficiaries
Birmingham, Alabama
Organization: Black Warrior Riverkeeper
Mission: Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. We are a citizen-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting clean water for the sake of public health, recreation, and wildlife habitat throughout our patrol area, the Black Warrior River watershed. This vital river basin is entirely contained within Alabama, America’s leading state for freshwater biodiversity.
Alpharetta, Georgia
Organization: Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Mission: Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s mission is to educate, advocate and secure the protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee River, including its lakes, tributaries and watershed, in order to restore and conserve their ecological health for the people and wildlife that depend on the river system and in recognition of the important ecosystem functions provided throughout the region and planet.
Hampton, Virginia
Organization: Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
Mission: The mission of Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is to distribute food effectively through collaborative efforts that minimize hunger, promote nutrition and encourage self-reliance through education.
Hampton, Virginia
Organization: Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Mission: Save the Bay and its waterways by educating, uniting, and inspiring people to take action.
Community Volunteer Events
September 14 – Birmingham, Alabama
Organization: Black Warrior Riverkeeper
Mission: Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. We are a citizen-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting clean water for the sake of public health, recreation, and wildlife habitat throughout our patrol area, the Black Warrior River watershed. This vital river basin is entirely contained within Alabama, America’s leading state for freshwater biodiversity.
Volunteer Activity: Cleaning up trash in a park near the venue.
September 16 – Alpharetta, Georgia
Organization: Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program
Mission: The mission of the Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program is to model and inspire the stewardship of natural resources through the use of sustainable practices, while connecting the community through growing food and nature-based education.
Volunteer Activity: Helping in the community garden.
September 20 – Hampton, Virginia
Organization: Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
Mission: The mission of Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is to distribute food effectively through collaborative efforts that minimize hunger, promote nutrition and encourage self-reliance through education.
Volunteer Activity: Helping in their warehouse.
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