You have probably seen the saying, Give Me Jesus and Coffee! If you are like me I love waking up to a hot cup of coffee to start my morning as I make breakfast and pack lunches, before sending the kids out the door for school. It turns out I am in good company, as around 70% of Americans drink coffee every day with the average person spending nearly $2,000 per year on their cup of joe. Coffee shops seem to be on almost every block. Americans love their coffee.
Different brews and blends, most of us sip our beloved beverage without thinking twice about how the beans made it into the java. Almost all coffee in America is imported, grown in what is referred to as the coffee belt. Around 70 countries spanning the globe produce coffee. Unfortunately, despite coffee grower’s hard work many farmers around the world are exploited and not paid a fair and sustainable wage.
In college I spent a few weeks out of my summer doing mission work in Central America, it was there that we spent the majority of our days sorting coffee beans by hand to assist the local farmers. For the first time, my eyes were opened to extreme poverty. The reality of what it was like to live without clean water, children who never owned a pair of shoes, husbands and wives working tirelessly each day to have a small amount of food for their families. It seemed like an endless cycle, day in and out just trying to survive.
Wanting more than what the corporate world could offer, Brad Fassbender left it all behind and began pursuing the idea of buying coffee directly from the farmers. In an effort to raise the coffee grower’s income and quality of life, Guadalupe Roastery was born. Beginning in Nicaragua and now today having farming families as well in Colombia and Africa. The hope of Guadalupe Roastery is to partner with as many coffee growers as possible, to help bring families and communities out of poverty. By forming a partnership with the growers, they aim to empower them to support themselves, their families and their communities.
Guadalupe Roastery offers high-quality coffee with their beans scoring in the top 3%. To date, they have directly sourced over 55,000 pounds of beans from Nicaragua and Colombia. With various flavors, roasts and blends there is sure to be something everyone would like. And when picking up your mug, you can know that it’s more than just a cup of coffee you are enjoying.
Today we kick off Relevant Radio’s Give from the Heart Pledge Drive!
On Monday only, for a donation of $240 you will receive Relevant Radio branded coffee – Guadalupe Gold Blend. In addition, you will also receive a coffee mug that reads, “Carry a rosary in your pocket and you’ll keep Christ in your heart.” The coffee is from Guadalupe Roastery, coffee for the common good, so not only will you be supporting Relevant Radio you will also be providing income to coffee farmers working to bring their families out of poverty. Truly, a gift from the heart!
If you give to Relevant Radio at the $240 Level this Monday, February 5, you will receive both a package of Guadalupe Gold Blend Coffee as well as a mug featuring a quote from Fr. Rocky: “Carry a rosary in your pocket and you’ll keep Christ in your heart.”
