South Asheville, North Carolina, on Sept. 28, 2024. Photo credit: North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Scores of coffee businesses throughout the Southeastern United States are reeling following flooding and human tragedies associated with the storm Helene.
DCN is not aware of any wide-scale disaster relief efforts being led by the U.S. coffee industry trade organizations. However, individual companies and localized efforts are afoot from Florida to Ohio.
Minneapolis-based Mill City Coffee Roasters this week activated an in-house disaster recovery program. The roasting equipment company is waving its technical support fees for professional coffee roasters seeking to get back up and running, with help for all models or brands of coffee roasters. The company is also helping to fulfill “emergency roasting” roasters from its headquarters.
The wreckage and subsequent business interruption caused by Helene has naturally resulted in loss of work for baristas, roastery production workers and others who make coffee come to life for consumers each day.
Companies like North Carolina-based Summit Coffee, who’s RAD Asheville location was gutted by flooding, are encouraging direct purchases of roasted coffees to support affected employees.
As rebuilding in Asheville and other coffee communities commences, here are some recent GoFundMe campaigns and other efforts supporting small coffee businesses, their owners and/or their staff.
DCN will add to this list in the coming days. If you are a coffee business in need due to Helene and would like to direct our readers to a fundraising campaign or some other support page, contact us here.
Vienna Coffee and Deeper Roots Launching Oct. 5 Donation Campaign
Tennessee-based Vienna Coffee and Ohio-based Deeper Roots Coffee are coordinating a “Coffee for a Cause” donation day, with 25% of all web and in-store sales going to the nonprofit All Hands and Hearts, which is leading relief efforts in North Carolina and Florida.
GoFundMe: Support Cooperative Coffee baristas post-Helene!
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Excerpt: Hello friends! We recently opened our first coffeeshop at 210 Haywood Road in West Asheville after almost 5 years as a roasting company. Due to the devastation of Hurricane Helene, our city of Asheville has lost water indefinitely until infrastructure can be rebuilt. The timeline is very uncertain for when water will return, but we are hearing that it will be weeks… read more
GoFundMe: Rebuild DayTrip: Support Brandon and Davie
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Excerpt: Part of what makes this community so vibrant and wonderful are the small businesses that provide us with unique and fun places to come together. And if you know Brandon and Davie, you know how much of their heart and soul went into creating their bar and coffee shop, DayTrip which just opened a little over a month ago… read more
GoFundMe: Help Rebuild Newport’s Snowbird Coffee and The Creamery
Location: Newport, Tennessee
Please Help Pollen Staff
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Excerpt: As the days have unfolded we are learning more and more about the extensive damage our staff and pollen family has endured. Some are completely displaced, cars and homes totaled and some have already been rejected from FEMA relief. Our goal is to provide relief to people DIRECTLY through your donations and support. This is not going to a large organization but to actual people who need immediate assistance… read more
GoFundMe: Help Restore Our Beloved Community Coffee Shop (Indian Shores Coffee)
Location: Indian Shores, Florida
Excerpt: Damage is currently estimated at between $75,000 and $150,000 with a recovery timeline of three to six months. Closing during peak season adds an incalculable burden of revenue loss to the already devastating damages. In order to keep serving St. Pete/Clearwater’s best coffee Indian Shores Coffee Company needs your help… read more
GoFundMe: Help Restore Our Beloved Grove Surf and Coffee
Location: St. Pete Beach, Florida
Excerpt: Peter and Lindsey have poured their hearts into building a space that both the local community and tourists can enjoy and feel welcome. You may go to Grove for their fun drinks and great merch, but you return and stay for the friendliness and warmth of the staff, and the smiles behind the counter… read more
GoFundMe: Save The Prickly Palm! (Hurricane Helene)
Cedar Key, Florida
Excerpt: The Prickly Palm is incredibly blessed to still be standing after being hit by major Hurricane Helene. However, we have sustained SERIOUS damage to the shop. At this time, we are not sure exactly what Prickly Palm’s future looks like, but we do know that there is a future in Cedar Key!… read more
GoFundMe: Restore Louie Beans Coffee Truck After Hurricane
Location: Ruskin, Florida
Excerpt: On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated our community, and sadly, it hit Louie Beans Coffee Truck hard, leaving it completely inoperable. Jennifer and Manny have always put the community first, and despite this setback, they were hesitant to ask for help, knowing others are also struggling… read more
GoFundMe: Help Wayne’s Neat Coffee Bar Rebuild post Hurricane Helene
Location: New Port Richey, Florida
Excerpt: My brother Wayne, a small local business owner had his coffee shop flooded during Hurricane Helene in Florida. The river nearby his store rose and quickly flooded his business. Now he’s left with damage and his livelihood hanging in the midst of the destruction. Please help us raise funds to help him and his family recover from this unforseen tragedy… read more
If you would like to share additional information or fundraising efforts, contact DCN here.
