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Ellen DeGeneres and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
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Ellen DeGeneres and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International has been one of Thanksgiving Coffee’s longest partnerships, and we’ve had the pleasure of donating over $40,000, with the help of our customers and wholesale partners.
The DFGFI has been working tirelessly for fifty years to continue the legacy of Dian Fossey, in protecting the magnificent mountain gorillas of Africa. First in Rwanda, and now expanding into the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International has changed the way the world thinks about gorillas, and has preserved and documented five decades of gorillas in the mountains of the Virungas.
Now, they are going to be able to do even more, with the extraordinary donation from Portia De Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres. On January 26, Ellen’s 60th birthday, Portia gave Ellen the gift of furthering Dian Fossey’s legacy and joining the DFGFI by establishing a permanent research center in Rwanda.
You can see the video on YouTube, of Portia surprising Ellen on her show with this spectacular gift.
This is a huge step forward for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, allowing them to expand their research in this specially-designed facility. President and CEO Tara Stoinski, Ph.D. said this about the gift:
“It’s impossible to overstate what this remarkable news means for the protection of these magnificent animals. We have continued Dian’s legacy for 50 years, and this new campus will serve as a brilliant focal point for our efforts to protect wild gorillas over the next decades.”
We are so excited to be able to watch as this new partnership grows and matures. Portia De Rossi also set up a Wildlife Fund in Ellen’s name: the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund. This fund will begin by supporting the Karisoke research facility, and will continue to take on projects for other wildlife preservation causes in the future.
Thanksgiving Coffee wants to give a huge thank you to Ellen and Portia for this amazing donation to the future of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas.
About the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
The DFGFI was established in 1967 by Dian Fossey. She set up a research facility in the country of Rwanda, dedicated to the preservation and documentation of the mountain gorillas living in the Virunga wilderness. After her death in 1985, the organization continued her work in monitoring and protecting the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, and later the Grauer’s gorillas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Thanksgiving Coffee and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International partnered in early 2004 to create the Gorilla Fund Cause Coffee, using Fairtrade Rwandan coffee. In 2017, we launched our Grauer’s Gorilla Coffee, using Organic and Fairtrade coffee grown in the Congo. Through the fourteen years we’ve worked with the DFGFI, we’ve raised over $40,000 to support these gorillas.
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![Earth Day Event in Fort Bragg 2024]()
Earth Day Event in Fort Bragg
The Noyo Food Forest is having their annual Earth Day celebration this Saturday at the Learning Garden. This four hour event is a fundraiser for the Farm-to-School and Youth Intern programs that the Noyo Food Forest operates year-round. We partner with the Noyo Food Forest throughout the year, and we especially love being a part of this annual event in Fort Bragg.
15th Annual Earth Day Event
Saturday, April 20, 12 - 4 PM
At the Learning Garden at Fort Bragg High School on Dana Street.This Earth Day event is free and geared toward everyone in the family. There will be live music, and you can participate by putting down a bid for the silent auction, paying entry to bouncy houses, and tasting goodies from local chefs. This is one of the most fun events that happens in the city of Fort Bragg every year. Local organizations and nonprofits are a big part of this event, and you’ll see booths and representatives from the Noyo Marine Science Center, the Mendocino Land Trust, our Mendocino County state parks and many more important parts of the coastal community.
Thanksgiving Coffee will be serving up samples of our Bee Bold Blend, our new Nitro Coffee, and the Noyo Food Forest will be selling 12oz bags, as well. All the proceeds benefit the Noyo Food Forest and their important work here in our community. We are very happy to be a part of this awesome event. For more information, visit the Noyo Food Forest Earth Day page on their website, and RSVP on Facebook to share with your friends. Join us on April 20 – see you at the Learning Garden.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Partnership with the Noyo Food ForestLearn more about how we support our Mother Earth
Earth Day Event in Fort Bragg 2024
read more -
![Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests]()
Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests
Songbirds are important, beautiful and a delight to the senses.
For over 25 years Thanksgiving Coffee has continued to support endangered migrating songbirds and the essential forest habitats they need to survive.
Our work to conserve Songbirds began 1998 with our line of Songbird Coffee. Here at Thanksgiving we continue to purchase from concious coffee farmers who understand the importance of shade grown coffee, and it's role in protecting biodiversity.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center recently released a wonderful video that highlights the process and the importance of shade grown coffee, and we want to share it with you.
It is called Cafe Y Aves
"In rural Colombia—and many parts of the world—coffee is essential to local culture and the livelihood of farmers. To birds and other wildlife, the places where coffee plants grow are just as essential. "
History of Deforestation
By 1996, the United States forests had run out of hardwoods such as oak, ash, maple, cherry, and all the wild fruit and nut trees due to unsustainable logging practices. The desirable wood of these trees is used for many things like furniture making, and also became very in demand as high end finishes for home building, like veneers for plywood, doors and window frames.
The timber industry, needed to find another source for hardwood. They turned their attention south, to the abundant rain forests of South and Central America, where these trees and many others grew plentiful, vitalized by the nutritious soil, temperate climates and abundant rain.
Bird Friendly Shade-Grown Coffee Can save up to 243 bird species
They noticed that the local coffee farmers had these valuable trees growing among their coffee crops and learned that coffee is a shade loving tree, that withers in the sun and needs the shade to be a healthy producer of coffee fruit. Mahogany, and a dozen other hardwood varieties were growing in unity with the coffee trees, providing the much needed shade for the farmers crops. There was a lot of money to be made if they could convince coffee farmers to log their trees. It is a long story of deception, but governments in collaboration with multinational corporations set out to convince coffee farmers, using flawed scientific reports and false information that by clearing away these trees and growing coffee in full sun would increase their yields and therefore make them more money.
The farmers, already living on humble incomes and with the idea of making more money in the future, allowed these large timber companies to log their land. But without the leaf litter from the big trees which fertilized the soil every year, oil based fertilizers would be needed (enter Dupont). With sunlight reaching the ground, weed killers would become essential (enter Monsanto). With forest habitat lost for migratory songbirds who fed on insects, the need for pesticides became essential. A destructive cycle of harmful chemicals became a necessity.
The big chemical companies now had new markets, timber companies gained new inventories of almost unlimited, inexpensive hardwoods, and the poor coffee farmers paid for all this with higher costs, lower quality coffee, and a 90% loss of biodiversity on their farms. It is a sad story, but one we want to bring awareness to and are actively working to reverse.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company continues to partner with the American Birding Association and is Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. This is the "Gold Standard" for coffee grown to support biodiversity and song bird habitat.
You can support Songbirds too!
When you purchase our bird friendly coffee, you are part of the solution for our planets songbirds.
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company.
Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests
read more
Earth Day Event in Fort Bragg
The Noyo Food Forest is having their annual Earth Day celebration this Saturday at the Learning Garden. This four hour event is a fundraiser for the Farm-to-School and Youth Intern programs that the Noyo Food Forest operates year-round. We partner with the Noyo Food Forest throughout the year, and we especially love being a part of this annual event in Fort Bragg.
15th Annual Earth Day Event
Saturday, April 20, 12 - 4 PM
At the Learning Garden at Fort Bragg High School on Dana Street.
This Earth Day event is free and geared toward everyone in the family. There will be live music, and you can participate by putting down a bid for the silent auction, paying entry to bouncy houses, and tasting goodies from local chefs. This is one of the most fun events that happens in the city of Fort Bragg every year. Local organizations and nonprofits are a big part of this event, and you’ll see booths and representatives from the Noyo Marine Science Center, the Mendocino Land Trust, our Mendocino County state parks and many more important parts of the coastal community.
Thanksgiving Coffee will be serving up samples of our Bee Bold Blend, our new Nitro Coffee, and the Noyo Food Forest will be selling 12oz bags, as well. All the proceeds benefit the Noyo Food Forest and their important work here in our community. We are very happy to be a part of this awesome event. For more information, visit the Noyo Food Forest Earth Day page on their website, and RSVP on Facebook to share with your friends. Join us on April 20 – see you at the Learning Garden.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Partnership with the Noyo Food Forest
Learn more about how we support our Mother Earth
Earth Day Event in Fort Bragg 2024
read more
Song Bird Coffee Protects Critical Forests
Songbirds are important, beautiful and a delight to the senses.
For over 25 years Thanksgiving Coffee has continued to support endangered migrating songbirds and the essential forest habitats they need to survive.
Our work to conserve Songbirds began 1998 with our line of Songbird Coffee. Here at Thanksgiving we continue to purchase from concious coffee farmers who understand the importance of shade grown coffee, and it's role in protecting biodiversity.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center recently released a wonderful video that highlights the process and the importance of shade grown coffee, and we want to share it with you.
It is called Cafe Y Aves
"In rural Colombia—and many parts of the world—coffee is essential to local culture and the livelihood of farmers. To birds and other wildlife, the places where coffee plants grow are just as essential. "
History of Deforestation
By 1996, the United States forests had run out of hardwoods such as oak, ash, maple, cherry, and all the wild fruit and nut trees due to unsustainable logging practices. The desirable wood of these trees is used for many things like furniture making, and also became very in demand as high end finishes for home building, like veneers for plywood, doors and window frames.
The timber industry, needed to find another source for hardwood. They turned their attention south, to the abundant rain forests of South and Central America, where these trees and many others grew plentiful, vitalized by the nutritious soil, temperate climates and abundant rain.
Bird Friendly Shade-Grown Coffee Can save up to 243 bird species
They noticed that the local coffee farmers had these valuable trees growing among their coffee crops and learned that coffee is a shade loving tree, that withers in the sun and needs the shade to be a healthy producer of coffee fruit. Mahogany, and a dozen other hardwood varieties were growing in unity with the coffee trees, providing the much needed shade for the farmers crops. There was a lot of money to be made if they could convince coffee farmers to log their trees. It is a long story of deception, but governments in collaboration with multinational corporations set out to convince coffee farmers, using flawed scientific reports and false information that by clearing away these trees and growing coffee in full sun would increase their yields and therefore make them more money.
The farmers, already living on humble incomes and with the idea of making more money in the future, allowed these large timber companies to log their land. But without the leaf litter from the big trees which fertilized the soil every year, oil based fertilizers would be needed (enter Dupont). With sunlight reaching the ground, weed killers would become essential (enter Monsanto). With forest habitat lost for migratory songbirds who fed on insects, the need for pesticides became essential. A destructive cycle of harmful chemicals became a necessity.
The big chemical companies now had new markets, timber companies gained new inventories of almost unlimited, inexpensive hardwoods, and the poor coffee farmers paid for all this with higher costs, lower quality coffee, and a 90% loss of biodiversity on their farms. It is a sad story, but one we want to bring awareness to and are actively working to reverse.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company continues to partner with the American Birding Association and is Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. This is the "Gold Standard" for coffee grown to support biodiversity and song bird habitat.
You can support Songbirds too!
When you purchase our bird friendly coffee, you are part of the solution for our planets songbirds.
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company.