Donating Coffee - A Small Way To Make A Big Difference In Your Community
How can you make a difference in your community?
Usually, when people look for ways to give back or reach out, they gravitate towards areas of passion or familiarity.
Thus, many look to support causes, charities, or organizations that resonate with their likes or beliefs.
Some contribute financially, others donate their time, and some give clothing or canned goods where needed.
But, have you ever considered donating coffee?
Three out of four Americans drink coffee everyday. And, you can meet that daily need as well as bring a smile to the faces within your community by donating coffee.
For Lifeboost staff members, one of our favorite ways to connect with locals is through such donations, a privilege that allows us to give back and get to know those within our community.
We’ve even learned of a sweet, caring lady in our Lifeboost Insperience Facebook group who enjoyed sharing coffee by the cup, preparing piping hot to-go cups of joe, and delivering them to the doorsteps of her neighbors, where they shared friendly conversation over her expression of kindness through such a gift.
And today, we’d like to showcase some ways you can do the same, because let’s face it, cup by cup or bag by bag, coffee makes a great donation, if you know the places where this beloved bean is needed most.
So, if you’re looking to make a difference in your local community by way of a coffee donation, join us for a few moments as we look at some simple ways you can make a big difference in the lives of others…when you donate coffee.
How Lifeboost Makes a Difference
Here at Lifeboost we regularly enjoy donating coffee, connecting with our community members, so we’d like to share our experiences in doing so before diving into a list of ideas for those of you looking for ways to make coffee donations in your own community.
First Responders
Our first responders work tirelessly and sacrificially to keep our communities safe. They’re local heroes who come to our aid whenever needed, and we’ve loved having the opportunity to donate healthy coffee to keep them fueled for their daily duties.
As they enrich our community, we’ve enjoyed enriching their coffee routine with donations to the Decatur Township Fire Department, several other fire stations throughout Indianapolis, as well as the Beechgrove and Greenwood Police Departments.
Both bags of coffee and boxes of coffee pods have been happily received by our local heroes, and we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to connect with them through such donations.
Community Events
We’ve also enjoyed seizing opportunities to donate coffee to our community simply by being present at events that offer the ability to give coffee to those who participate.
Several months ago, Decatur Township held a trunk or treat event, allowing us to donate coffee to our community by handing out coffee pods to the adults, and candy for the kids, of course.
Shelters
Shelters can serve varying needs within any community, and these places often rely on donations to accomplish such purposes.
Recently Lifeboost was able to meet the daily need many of us share, the need for a morning cup of coffee, at The Goodwin Center in Decatur Township.
Aside from volunteering our time to help serve holiday dinners, stock the food pantry, and participate in other events put on by the center, we were also able to donate full bags of Lifeboost coffee and boxes of our coffee pods.
How YOU can Make a Difference
Have you ever been tempted to think that getting involved in your local community doesn’t have that far of a reach? If so, banish those thoughts. Because, the truth of the matter is, we never know how one small act of kindness, even locally, can impact our entire world.
When you contribute to your community it’s contagious, leading others to get involved as well, which of course sparks even more giving, helping, and sharing. And, this builds morale and hope within small towns and large cities alike.
But, before we jump right into some common places/ways you can get involved in your community by donating coffee, let’s look at a few simple tips to consider prior to donation:
1. Before donating coffee within your community, do a quick search for information regarding the place you’re seeking to donate to. Taking this step allows you, either online or through a phone call, to speak to someone who can best direct you to any pertinent information regarding donations.
2. I suppose this falls under research as well, but you can also expand your efforts towards involvement by gathering information regarding when and where your community may be hosting events catered to donation.
Is there a food bank in your community? What days/times does your local food bank accept donations? When might your community be hosting events that allow locals to get involved? Are there local restaurants or schools collecting donations for charities or organizations?
Much of this information can be obtained through a city or town’s chamber of commerce, which often is tasked with putting on events for the betterment of a community.
3. Of course, you may also wish to do a bit of research surrounding the mission or goals of a particular organization to find those that best align with your personal passions or beliefs prior to donation.
Now for where to donate this tasty brew:
Food Pantries - Most folks think of donating canned and boxed food items to food pantries. But, as we stated above, coffee is enjoyed by 3 out of 4 Americans, making this item a welcomed commodity for donation at such places.
Churches - Many communities rely on churches to operate food banks or food pantries, but these organizations may also work with assisted or senior living facilities, providing donations of food and toiletries from time to time.
For instance, a church within our community works directly with a small assisted living home for disabled individuals, and the residents were abundantly grateful when simple donations of a few bags of coffee were given, providing a morning pleasantry the residents look forward to as they begin each day.
Assisted/Senior Living Facilities - We just mentioned this under the church section above, but we wanted to elaborate a bit here.
Obviously, minus the church middleman, you can also reach out to these types of facilities directly.
As you contact the director of such a facility, you can simply inform them of your desire to donate healthy, delicious coffee (I’d recommend having regular and decaf options available.), and they can let you know if or when such a donation would be advisable for their facility.
You can donate alone, but depending on the size of the facility, possibly the most effective way to donate coffee here would be to gather a group of friends, family, neighbors, or colleagues in such an effort.
An example illustrating the effectiveness of such a group: recently I learned of a young woman in my hometown who had the idea of blessing the residents of the local nursing home. Her grandfather is a resident there, and as she often visits him, she’d built a rapport with many living in the facility.
By simply sharing her idea with a few family members, who shared the idea with others, the entire community rallied together, bringing in blankets and goodies for all the residents for Valentine’s Day.
Imagine what a simple collaboration with an activities director could do…maybe coffee and card games for a mid-morning treat? How about hand-made cards from local children for the residents to enjoy alongside a piping hot cup of coffee with their morning breakfast?
The possibilities are endless for ways to bless the residents of such facilities with donations of coffee and kindness.
Shelters - Many communities have shelters for the homeless. And, some areas even have shelters meeting more specific needs, such as women fleeing abusive situations or those individuals displaced by natural disasters.
Most of these facilities, no matter the specific needs they are meeting, would welcome coffee donations as this beverage is served during mealtimes, each cup a comforting and welcomed enjoyment.
Community Centers - Community centers meet the needs of the residents of a town or city through socialization, education, activities, counseling services, and more.
Like The Goodwin Center, a community center Lifeboost was able to donate coffee to, these places rely on donations from the people within the communities they serve.
And, as many centers provide meals and/or snacks for those attending, coffee is a needed commodity.
Community Events - Is your community hosting an event to meet specific needs within the area? When your community reaches out to give back, you can participate by donating coffee.
Oftentimes such events happen in the wake of disaster. For instance, in the summer of 2022, residents of Eastern Kentucky were devastated by floodwaters, prompting the need for food serving lines, donation tables, and more.
Aside from donations meeting clothing/food/toiletry needs, serving coffee at such an event could be a special way to bring comfort, cup by cup, to those in need.
Troops - As our military members are serving our country overseas, something that has repeatedly been communicated is their appreciation for donations of what we take for granted as the simple comforts of home.
And, a cup of healthy coffee would go a long way to give back, say thank you, and support our troops.
In today’s day and time, ground coffee is said to be an acceptable donation, with ways to brew it accessible to most.
However, depending on the region where some are deployed, instant coffee or go-bags that allow hot coffee to be steeped may be an easier choice to donate/send. 
First Responders - We listed in the above section of our opportunities here at Lifeboost to donate bags of coffee and coffee pods to our local first responders, and this is something you can do as well!
A simple call to your local police, fire, or EMS unit can provide you with any information you’d need as far as their specific needs, but each area of local service would undoubtedly be grateful for donations of coffee to keep them fueled and ready to serve your community.
Teachers - Many teachers will testify, they need fuel too! So, if you have a school-aged child, you can easily donate coffee to his/her teacher.
However, something as simple as coordinating with the secretary or principal to donate bags of coffee to stock the teacher’s lounge can extend this notion, bringing a smile to the faces of each school staff member.
And, don’t forget, as we mentioned in the tips above, schools often collect donated items (coffee included) to be donated to those in need within your community.
Hospital staff - Doctors and nurses are another group that work tirelessly to better the lives of those within a community.
Like the teacher’s lounge idea, hospital staff members would surely appreciate a similar gesture, just be sure to contact the hospital prior to donation to find out their particular needs and the best ways to meet them.
Perhaps you’ve found just the avenue you’ve been looking for here today, a way you can give back to your community with coffee. Or, maybe the ideas listed here have your wheels turning for an altogether different and exciting way to bless those in your community with this tasty brew.
Either way, remember, community involvement is contagious, and you can make a difference!
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Medium Roast.
References:
- https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/coffee-survey/#
- https://risewisconsin.org/5-ways-to-give-back-to-the-community/
- https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/strategies/community-centers#
- https://www.military.com/deployment/what-to-send-someone-who-is-deployed.html#