National Coffee Association names Coffee Trust 2019 Charity of the Year

Coffee Trust has been named 2019 National Coffee Association (NCA) Charity of the Year due to its work in the Ixil region of Guatemala to build coffee-growing communities. “We’re excited that the Coffee Trust, one of last year’s finalists, was selected as this year’s winner,” says Willian Murray, NCA President and CEO. “I hope this recognition helps Coffee Trust to attract even greater support, so that they can continue their integrated, farmer-led approach for helping coffee communities.” In its second year, the NCA’s Coffee Gives Back program is dedicated in showcasing organisations that are working to support coffee communities around the world. Two award finalists were Guatemalan charity organisation Pueblo a Pueblo, and Strategies for International Development who aid rural farming communities. “It is truly amazing how many companies, organisations, and individuals are working to help coffee farmers,” says Murray. “We started this program to raise the visibility of just some of those efforts – and to encourage even greater support for those organisations.” Coffee Trust’s commitment to the ancient Maya Ixil people in San Gapsar, Chajul, in El Quiche, Guatemala includes education, food sovereignty and health economic diversification through honey production and women’s hand-woven textiles. The local community has built a micro-credit program assisting more than 3000 women grown over 100 gardens, and nearly doubled coffee production after losing 80 per cent of their crop to the Roya fungus. The NCA, established in 1911 is the leading organisation for the coffee industry in the United States with 90 per cent of its membership accounting for its coffee commerce. For more information about the NCA’s Charity of the Year Awards visit www.ncausa.org