Coffee Kids launches Grow it Forward campaign

Coffee Kids is raising money to reduce hunger in coffee-growing communities with its third Grow it Forward campaign, running from 15 September – 31 October. The annual campaign encourages organisations to help raise money for coffee farming communities. A number of companies and groups are taking part in this year’s campaign, including The Roasters Guild, the Chicago coffee community, and Nuova Simonelli. The Roasters Guild, an official trade guild of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, kicked off the Grow it Forward campaign with its sponsorship of a silent auction. The Chicago coffee community has shown its support for smallholder farmers and their families, with an open house event at the Counter Culture Training Center in Chicago, Illinois. Nuova Simonelli is also doing its bit, through its offer to pay the Coffee Kids membership fees for owners of its machines throughout September. Machine owners can register their model on the Coffee Kids website and Nuova Simonelli will donate the membership fee of $35 directly to Coffee Kids. Nuova Simonelli is covering $15 of the membership fee for those who do not own one of its machines. “Putting enough food on the table has always been a pressing issue for coffee farmers and their families,” said Rebecca Singer, Executive Director of Coffee Kids. “However, the effects of the drought and coffee leaf rust have made food security projects in the region more crucial then ever.” In much of Central America, the coffee harvest ends around the end of February. According to Coffee Kids, three months later, most families have spent their meager income and must find a way to feed their families for the remainder of the year. Coffee-farming families face three to eight months of hunger every year, leading to chronic disease and malnutrition. Coffee Kids projects such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, pig rearing and backyard gardens help families during these crises and help create long-term solutions to chronic seasonal hunger Coffee Kids 2013 campaign raised $30,000, which it put toward food security projects throughout Latin America. For more information visit the Coffee Kids website: www.coffeekids.org