It’s hard to think that the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti was five years ago. Our news coverage was all over the 7.0 magnitude quake that caused major damage in the country. Humanitarian aid was necessary to try and help rebuild the areas affected and the growth of social media was an aid in helping donations make their way to the island.
The earthquake, coupled with political turmoil and corruption, has been a driving factor in the poverty throughout Haiti. While there’s no immediate fix in sight for Haitian poverty, there are way to help the economy and benefit the citizens affected. Of course, donating to charity is one way to do it, but there’s a way locally that helps, too.
Espresso Royale has formed a partnership with Coopacvod, a co-op in Haiti, to help plant coffee seedlings in a high mountain nursery. The coffee trees will eventually yield product that can be sold, thereby helping local farmers and the Haitian economy. Espresso Royale would like to see 2500 plants make their way to Haiti. You can stop in to one of the Espresso Royale locations and purchase a simple button that says “We Planted a Tree.” The proceeds from the button go directly to planting a tree.
There’s another way that Espresso Royale is looking out for the citizens of Haiti, and that’s through the installation of rain catchers to help Haitians gather water for drinking and growing crops. The way to help in this regard, of course, is to buy coffee. If you buy whole bean or brewed coffee from Haiti at Espresso Royale, $2 per sold pound will go to RainCatchers.org to help with the installation process.
Espresso Royale has already donated $7,000 towards RainCatchers in 2015, and they’re hoping to increase this number as the year goes on.
