Here are some of the things going on at the Coffee Kids’ offices in Santa Fe, NM and Oaxaca, Mexico – your chance to hang around the water cooler with us.
Coffee Kids was delighted to be able to present at the keynote address at the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) Conference and Exhibition.
In honor of our 20th Anniversary, Coffee Kids would like to thank all of our members, partners and sponsors throughout the world who have helped make it possible. We recently completed this video with the help of Machine Hero, a Providence, R.I.-based firm. It features images from our partners in Latin America and interviews with a number of our long term supporters and friends. The video explores Coffee Kids effect in the global coffee community and how support for Coffee Kids translates to support for the long term future of the specialty coffee industry.
Please leave comments on the video below and thanks for making our first two decades rewarding and fruitful!
If you are attending the SCAA Conference in Minneapolis, be sure to visit us at our booth #1241 and learn how your contributions are making a difference and if you can’t make the conference, check out our Web site to learn more about our work.
Thanks to all of our sponsors and those who signed up early, Coffee Kids’ 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner is sold out. We look forward to celebrating two decades with everyone attending.
If you weren’t able to get tickets to the event, be sure to visit our booth (#1241) in the exhibition hall. We’ll be featuring a plethora of information on our efforts with coffee-growing families.
All of us at Coffee Kids would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends and co-workers of David Williamson, managing director of Matthew Algie and dedicated Coffee Kid supporter, who passed away last week.
Williamson, a sixth-generation descendant of the founder of the 144-year-old coffee importer and roaster in Glasgow, was dedicated to Coffee Kids’ mission and a firm believer in helping create a more sustainable lifestyle for coffee-farming families.
Williamson was not only a supporter, but also a close friend and will be sorely missed by all at Coffee Kids.
Our 20th Anniversary Celebration scheduled for May 3, 2008, at the SCAA Conference and Exhibition in Minneapolis, Minn., just keeps getting better. We’re happy to announce that Luca Mundaca, a recording artist with Putumayo World Music, will be performing at the event.
Mundaca, a self-taught guitarist and vocalist, has appeared on the Putumayo compilations “Women of the World Acoustic” and “Brazilian Lounge.” She was born in Chile and moved with her family to a small town south of Sao Paulo, Brazil, when she was six. At age 15 she began teaching herself to play guitar and has dedicated her life to music. For more information on Mundaca, check out her profile on Putumayo’s site.
Along with Mundaca’s performance, Coffee Kids 20th Anniversary Dinner celebration will feature a short Coffee Kids movie and a variety of speakers including Founder Bill Fishbein, Executive Director Carolyn Fairman, Board President Rob Stephen and longtime contributors and representatives from our partner organizations in Latin America.
Dinner reservations for the event are required. Please contact Heather Ferraro at or 505-820-1443 for reservations and details.
(Santa Fe, N.M.) – Bill Fishbein, founder of Coffee Kids, has resigned from the board of directors. Declaring his confidence in the organization Fishbein has decided to offer his expertise to other non-profits and businesses looking to maximize the impact of their Corporate Social Responsibility dollars and pursue other opportunities to help coffee-farming families. Fishbein continues to be an ardent supporter of Coffee Kids and will continue to advocate for the organization and serve on the board of Coffee Kids UK charity.
Coffee Kids’ non-commercial approach to development has helped tens of thousands of coffee-farming families. But millions more are in dire need. “It became obvious to me that Coffee Kids was going to have to be around for a long time,” said Fishbein. “To do so, it had to become free from its dependency on me. The organization has been transitioning toward this day for several years, since Carolyn Fairman took over responsibility for day-to-day activities as executive director.”
“Coffee Kids is no longer dependent upon me,” added Fishbein.“The staff is led by an executive director whose heart and sensibilities are deeply rooted in programs. With a well-seasoned president and depth in grassroots program development, organizational development, finance, marketing and fundraising, the board is more capable than any other time in Coffee Kids history. I have no doubt Coffee Kids will follow the mission instead of the money.”
Rob Stephen, President of the Coffee Kids board of directors said, “As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Coffee Kids, we applaud Bill’s vision as the founder of this extraordinary organization. To truly honor his work over the last two decades and demonstrate respect for his decision to step away, we will hold fast to our mission, remain focused on meaningful programs, and continue to build infrastructure that increases our capacity to do good. The best way to say thank you to Bill and all those who have made our first 20 years possible is to ensure we are built to last well into the future.”
Fishbein’s vote of confidence comes as Coffee Kids prepares to formally mark its 20th Anniversary with a Dinner Celebration May 3, 2008 at the Minneapolis Convention Center during the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s 2008 Conference & Exhibition. For more information call 505-820-1143 or email .
The year 2008 marks two decades of Coffee Kids helping coffee-farming families create vibrant communities. Celebrate with us at our anniversary dinner on May 3rd at the 2008 SCAA Conference in Minneapolis, Minn.
Throughout the evening we will reflect on the achievements and challenges of the last 20 years, look ahead to the future, and acknowledge those who have stood by us and our partners in the work. Speakers will include Coffee Kids Founder Bill Fishbein, Executive Director Carolyn Fairman, and Board President Rob Stephen, as well as other special guests. Plus, a Putumayo World Music recording artist will be making a very special performance.
20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
Saturday, May 3, 2008
7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Minneapolis Convention Center, Ballroom B
Dinner to include wine, hors d’oevres, entrée and dessert.
Individual: $75
Company table for eight : $560
Reservations are required. Please contact Heather Ferraro at or (505) 820-1443 for reservations.
Revenue in excess of event costs will be directed toward Coffee Kids’ projects in Latin America.
Hello Friends,
I’ve been working on behalf of coffee-farming families since 1988. By taking the simple step to create Coffee Kids with a few friends, I set in motion a multitude of forces that I had no idea were waiting in the wings. That step led me on a path to my life’s work: giving back to coffee farmers and helping create sustainable communities.
I am excited about Coffee Kids’ 20th year of helping coffee-farming families improve the quality of their lives. To commemorate this milestone, we’ll be holding a celebration dinner on Saturday, May 3, 2008, at the Minneapolis Convention Center during the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s Convention.
During the evening we will reflect on achievements and changes over the last 20 years, look ahead to future goals, and acknowledge the people – such as yourself – who have helped along the way.
I invite you to become a Sponsor of this very special event* and join us in celebrating 20 years of vision and hard work on behalf of coffee-farming families. Since some of the sponsorships are available on a first come, first served basis, please download our sponsorship form (PDF; 436 KB) and send it to Ms. Heather Ferraro at Coffee Kids as soon as possible. Thank you.
Please don’t delay in helping us make this our most ambitious year yet in offering hope of a better future to thousands of coffee-farming families.
Best wishes,
Bill Fishbein, Founder
*Any sponsorship revenue in excess of event costs will be directed toward Coffee Kids’ projects in Latin America.
We just received a DVD here in the Coffee Kids offices and thought you should check it out as well.
Black Coffee is a three-hour, three part documentary chronicling the history of coffee and the conditions faced by coffee farmers. It gives a great overview of coffee history, the coffee industry and life in coffee-farming communities.
Black Gold is another good documentary to check out. It’s gotten a bit more publicity than “Black Coffee” and gives a good overview of the plight of coffee farmers, primarily those in Ethiopia.
Mark Prince of CoffeeGeek.com, one of the most thorough chroniclers of the coffee world on the Web, is doing a month-long fundraiser for Coffee Kids, Jan. 21- Feb. 22.
Check out www.coffeegeek.com and visit the Coffee Kids link on the left. CoffeeGeek.com is auctioning off several coffee grinders donated by Baratza; donating 25% of their ad revenue for February; donating their Amazon affiliate revenue until the end of Feb; and matching any direct donations made to Coffee Kids through CoffeeGeek.
Koka Coffee Lounge in Cincinatti, Ohio, hosted a silent auction on Dec. 9 in memory of Matt Maxin, a University of Cincinatti graduate who was tragically killed in a car accident in June 2007.
Maxin was the boyfriend of Koka Coffee Lounge employee Mandy Kordal and had worked at a coffee house in his hometown. Coffee Kids was his favorite charity.
Maxin’s friends organized a silent auction of 36 of his photographs as well as other students’ donated artwork to benefit Coffee Kids. The auction raised over $1,200.
Coffee Kids is deeply honored to be the beneficiary of this special event and the Coffee Kids staff extend their sympathy and condolences to Matt’s family and friends.
If you weren’t able to get tickets to the event, be sure to visit our booth (#1241) in the exhibition hall. We’ll be featuring a plethora of information on our efforts with coffee-growing families. 
Mundaca, a self-taught guitarist and vocalist, has appeared on the Putumayo compilations “Women of the World Acoustic” and “Brazilian Lounge.” She was born in Chile and moved with her family to a small town south of Sao Paulo, Brazil, when she was six. At age 15 she began teaching herself to play guitar and has dedicated her life to music. For more information on Mundaca, 
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in June 2007. 
Maxin’s friends organized a silent auction of 36 of his photographs as well as other students’ donated artwork to benefit Coffee Kids. The auction raised over $1,200.