You probably already know that Ad Astra Roasters is a veteran-owned company. I'm proud to have served in the Marine Corps and am also proud that my wife and I are small business owners. We think that small, independently owned businesses do much to help create and sustain thriving families, communities, and countries. We happen to love this one in particular. Love is like that you know: it's always particular.
(queue the Marine Corps Hymn, National Anthem, and all that good stuff)
But since opening in 2018 we've noticed something about our fellow veteran-owned coffee companies: the vast majority of them donate substantially to a variety of organizations that, simply put, make our country better. Whether it's the Wounded Warrior Project, Mission 22, Habitat for Humanity, or local schools and churches, most of these small veteran-owned companies continue to serve our country by building up organizations that take care of those who are vulnerable or in need. Pretty cool huh?
We think so.
When we started our company we decided that we were going to do everything we could to donate 20% of all our coffee to a handful of organizations and causes that we think are particularly important. For us this means veteran's organizations, schools, churches, and first responders. If you work with veterans in need, with children, with people's souls, or with people in states of emergency, we want you to be well caffeinated...if you want to be. (no forced caffeination here)
Fortunately, we've reached this goal each month we've been in business, and I'm pleased to say that in the last year we caffeinated a pretty nifty bunch of folks:
- A school
- A monastery
- A sheriff's department
- A police department
- A fire department
- A veteran's retreat
- Deployed Marines
But don't let us have all the fun. There is no rule that says you can't purchase a bag of coffee, a mug, or a gift box for your favorite EMT, deputy, police officer, or teacher. If you had a newspaper route as a kid you know how good it feels to be doing your job around Christmas time and to have a candy bar show up in your delivery bag. It never gets old.
One last thing: as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas it's relevant to note that while many of us can be home with our families, there are others whose duties keep them away and on call. Of those, some are directly in harm's way, while others closer to home stand between us and harm's way. We plan to do our part in showing our gratitude for their work and for the blessings of liberty by continuing to donate as much coffee as we can, but also by doing what we can to build and sustain communities that are virtuous, free, and worth defending. Please join us.
...and stay frosty. Coffee helps.
