I've participated in the Making Strides walk/run in Jackson for the last 5 years. Cancer isn't just a passing subject in my household. My family has been affected by this deadly disease multiple times, making it very personal and near & dear to my heart. I've been planning to do something with Jackson ACS for the last 2 years but I've either been too late or too occupied. We were determined to do something with them this year & I'm happy to announce we are ready to go.

Today we are releasing a special coffee blend in honor of the Making Strides campaign called 1 Billion Birthdays. This coffee is a combination of Central American coffees and the cupping notes on this coffee is sweet fudge, & silky caramel. We are donating 25%  of the sales of this coffee to the local American Cancer Society in Jackson, Mississippi with the conclusion of this fundraiser to be on the weekend of the annual 5k walk/run.

We are also planning to participate in the 5k again this year. I'm personally planning to run the 5k draped in pink this year to celebrate. Keep in mind, I've never ran a 5k in my entire life & to get prepped, I am training with Terry Sullivan of LiveRightNow. Terry is a certified trainer and an excellent motivator. If you've ever seen a group of guys & gals running hills in Fondren on Fridays, that's Terry's group. To sweeten the deal, we are donating $10 for each pound I lose in preparation for the race. In the meantime, I'll be posting pics of the training to Facebook/Twitter & blog my progress. No pressure right?

To say that I am super excited about this would be an understatement. We are a company that loves to give back to our local community & support our local ACS. So how can you get involved? How can you support? You can pick up your very own bag of 1 Billion Birthdays coffee here to get started. Do you have a Making Strides team of your own & would like to do fundraising? Contact us here to get more information about a fundraising opportunity using our coffee. Simply put "Making Strides Fundraiser" in the subject line & we will get back in contact with you. In the meantime, look for announcements on our Facebook & Twitter pages for updates, events, giveaways & more. As always, be blessed.


 
 
Well where do I begin with We Will Go? You know there are some folks you just do not forget: your mother, your first teacher, your first best friend. I can personally I remember all those people, but the day I met David & Amy Lancaster added a new edition to that category. We Will Go Ministries was started by David & Amy who were instructed by God to leave their creature comfort focused lifestyle & serve Him wholeheartedly. Their story is a lot more complex than I have space to write in this blog post but is beautiful & amazing. They moved to downtown Jackson to love & serve their local neighbors by meeting their physical needs of food, clothing etc. However, their primary purpose is to share the love & word of God with everyone they meet. I've heard them both say time & time again, "my prayer is that no one perish."

The first time I visited We Will Go, I was involved with a small group with Pinelake Church. We went to serve food one Sunday afternoon & I've never been the same since. I've served at a couple local ministries before, but none of them made an impact my life like WWG. I've made some wonderful friends there: The Lancasters, Fairchilds, Fergusons, Meredith, Jamie & Jennifer  just to name a few and I love them all. They are just genuine people who are honest, caring & really love Jesus. When I started this company and wanted to use it to sow seeds for God's Kingdom, this was the first ministry that came to mind. I have a huge heart for everyone there.  Some people call them weird for moving to one of the most undesirable neighborhoods in Jackson. Just meet them & I promise you will retract those words. I sure did. Be blessed.

To learn more about We Will Go Ministries or to support, please visit: www.wewillgo.org
 
 
Before BeanFruit Coffee Company began, we wanted to incorporate giving into our business. From that idea birthed our Seed Sowing Project. What is Seed Sowing? When we purchase green coffee (unroasted coffee) we set aside an additional 30 cents to donate 15 cents to a local non-profit & 15 cents to an international non-profit organization.

Today's post is about our international partner: Grounds for Health. Grounds for Health provides sustainable Cervical Cancer care for women in coffee producing countries. The organization began when the president of a U.S. coffee company along with his colleague, a retired OB/GYN were visiting coffee cooperatives Mexico in 1996. They learned that cervical cancer rates there were some of the highest in the world. The doctor knew that cervical cancer was preventable and when caught early, one of the most treatable cancers in the world. They use the Single Visit approach to educate communities and currently runs programs in Tanzania, Mexico & Nicaragua. Since 1996, Grounds for Health has screened over 16,000 women in coffee producing countries for cervical cancer. Isn't that amazing?

Why did we select Grounds for Health? Honestly it's personal. My family has suffered multiple losses at the hands of cancer. It's not a pain I would wish on anyone and is devestating to say the least. However, it's awesome to know that this tiny organization in central Mississippi is able to make an impact in people lives we may never meet. Your purchases make an impact in those people lives as well & we thank you so much for your continued support. This could never be possible without you. Be blessed.

Want to learn more about how your purchase matters? Please enjoy the video below & be sure to visit: http://www.groundsforhealth.org.