SCAE UK & Coffee Kids
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The majority of visitors to this site will, in some way, make their living from the coffee industry. We couldn’t do this if it wasn’t for the thousands of coffee farmers around the world who sadly still do not often get a fair return on their labour. This year, with donations to charities being stung greatly by the recession Coffee Kids needs your more support than ever.

Throughout last years competitions we raised £500 for Coffee Kids through donations made for drinks made by our entrants and sold to the public in attendance. But, this is only once in a year.

Have your thought about your business could help? Maybe, make it your nominated charity for the year? Could you have a collection pot on your shops counter for Coffee kids? However much you can raise, it all helps. To find out how to donate visit www.coffeekids.org/donate

Below is some info about the organisation, but if you would like to find out more just visit www.coffeekids.org

What is Coffee Kids about?

Coffee Kids mission is to help coffee-farming families improve their quality of life. Coffee Kids believes that coffee-farming families and communities hold the solutions to their problems. The organisation works with community members to identify challenges and then partners with local non-profit organisations to develop projects that address these challenges on a grassroots level. All projects respect the cultural integrity, intelligence and ingenuity of the people served.

What types of programs does Coffee Kids support?

Coffee Kids programs provide coffee-farming families with alternatives to coffee that provide them with more consistent income. They partner with local organizations in coffee-farming communities to create projects in economic diversification and microcredit, health awareness, education and training, and food security. For more information on their partners, please visit their programs page at www.coffeekids.org/aboutus/programs

How did Coffee Kids begin?

Coffee Kids was founded in 1988 by Bill Fishbein, a specialty coffee roaster and retailer from Providence, R.I. While visiting coffee-growing communities in Guatemala in 1988, Fishbein was deeply affected by the poverty and created Coffee Kids as a way to give something back to the families that grow coffee.

How is Coffee Kids different from other development efforts in coffee-growing areas?

Coffee Kids believes that all programs must be community-based and founded on the principles of sustainability. Income from the annual coffee harvest is not enough, fair trade and organic premiums are not enough. Coffee-farming families need education and economic options that can provide for year-round sustenance. Coffee Kids works in the world of coffee, but does not buy or sell coffee.

Coffee Kids has a deliberate selection process for partner organizations to ensure that programs are sustainable and well-structured. We provide long-term support for our partners that allow time for ideas to take root in the community.

Where does Coffee Kids work?

Coffee Kids currently supports 24 projects managed by 15 partners in five countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Peru. Several thousand families in nearly 150 communities benefit from Coffee Kids programs.

Can I volunteer for Coffee Kids?

Since Coffee Kids’ partners manage their own programs, Coffee Kids does not offer volunteer opportunities. Some of the partners offer opportunities for interested, qualified individuals. If you have skills to offer one of Coffee Kids’ partner organizations, please download the volunteer application and e-mail it to International Program Director José Luis Zárate at joseluis@coffeekids.org

Volunteer Application (Word Doc)

How is the organization funded?

Coffee Kids has an annual budget of approximately $1 million. Business donations make up 85% of the budget followed by 6% from foundations, 4% from in-kind donations, 3% from individual donors, and 2% from merchandise sales. An average of 75% of donations goes toward program expenses.

How many employees does Coffee Kids have?

Coffee Kids has four full-time staff in our headquarters in Santa Fe, NM, USA, and two full-time international program coordinators in our Oaxaca office. Coffee Kids also has a part-time development liaison in the United Kingdom (Coffee Kids UK).

To find out how to donate visit www.coffeekids.org/donate

(Or if you want, you could link to our UK donate pages at

http://www.coffeekids.org/donate/individual-uk
http://www.coffeekids.org/donate/business-uk