You can make a difference in the world each day, simply by purchasing coffee.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters of Vermont is the introduction of Heifer Hope Blend, a new organic coffee, sales of which will contribute to the lives of small coffee farmers in Guatemala. Forty cents of every bag is purchased Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that will be given to fighting hunger worldwide.
The partnership between Heifer and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters will bring aid to impoverished farmers in the region of La Voz, San Juan La Laguna and other local needs in Guatemala.
Coffee prices are now so low that many farmers are not to make a living growing coffee. With the help of Heifer, farmers in La Voz get certified organic, shade-grown premium coffee growers. Green Mountain Coffee then the coffee is to buy from the farmers at fair trade prices – a guaranteed minimum wage that is higher than what the farmers would come on the conventional market – and roast and package it as Heifer Hope Blend.
The farmers earn a premium price and Heifer will expand its work to more poor families.
With the money earned through Heifer Hope Blend, Heifer also helps coffee-growing families diversify their sources of income by giving them animals – cows, goats and other income-producing farm animals. This additional income means better nutrition, housing, health care and education.
Since 1944, Heifer has millions of impoverished families move towards independence by helping them with livestock and earth-friendly agricultural training. Heifer asks then passed to the families, “the gift” by donating their animals to other offspring, thereby helping to liberate entire communities out of poverty.
Green Mountain Coffee is committed to social responsibility and the environment, and made annual waiver five percent of the profits before taxes to charitable causes to support.
“We are really excited to be partnering with socially and environmentally responsible companies like Green Mountain Coffee,” said Cynthia Hester, Heifer’s director of corporate partnerships. “It is important that non-profit organizations to find new ways to expand the promotion of enterprise, its values in the nonprofit world.”
