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Pomo Possibilities
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Right Now We Are Seeing History in the Making.
In the confluence of purpose and action, our community is coming together for Tribal sovereignty and reconciliation through the Pomo Land Back movement. This is an opportunity to learn about and support the Northern Pomo People of Mendocino County. This is an opportunity to regain alignment with nature, with our community, and the indigenous people of these lands.
The parallels between the Indigenous Forest and the Indigenous People are striking. Much like the ancestral old growth Redwoods, only a fraction of the original Pomo people are still alive. Populations of Pomo tribes numbered between 13,000 - 20,000 in the early 1800s. By the 2000 census, only 5,092 Pomo were left. Likewise, only 4% of the original Redwood Forests exist, while the other 96% have been logged to extinction.
Mendocino County is home to 10 surviving Pomo tribes. All have experienced countless forms of discrimination, forced assimilation, relocation, and legal termination. It is time for the cycle to pivot. We can do this together through regeneration, cooperation, and collaboration.
What we do to the forest, we do to the people
The Pomo Tribal Leadership has identified Jackson Demonstration State Forest (JDSF) as the focus of the Pomo Land Back movement and has gathered the support of 50 California tribes across the State. This has never been achieved before. Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter is ready to lead the way for healing and has asked Governor Newsom for co-management of these forests. With the help of a strong local coalition of environmental organizations, the logging has been stopped for now.
"Our responsibility is to past... present... and future generations of all life."
The way forward is to rematriate the forest and move into Indigenous stewardship. Following the lead of matriarch Priscilla Hunter, Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter is gathering the community together to bring healing and restore the biodiversity to our forests and rivers.
The 50,000 acres of Jackson State Demonstration Forests (JDSF) has been managed by Cal Fire since 1949. It is full of ancestral sacred sites, and is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the State. With the co-management plan the tribes will guide the State agencies to implement their place based knowledge and create a real demonstration forest for future generations. This irreplaceable knowledge is the expertise that has been cultivated over millennia by the tribes who have inhabited these forests.
Indigenous experts hold the wisdom of interdependence with our surroundings and how to live with the cycles of growth that will support all life. This traditional ecology knowledge (TEK) system was brutally interrupted at the time of colonization. The forest is suffering the loss of these practices and experiencing the harsh consequence of a dysfunctional system that breeds greed and exploitation.
I invite you to be a good steward of the Jackson State Demonstration Forest and learn about the Pomo Land Back movement. Together we create a new era of justice for our First Nations People of Mendocino. With Pomo leadership, Cal Fire has an opportunity to truly demonstrate what a healthy forest and healthy ecosystem is for generations to come. This is a win, win, for people, policy, and the planet. Native-led co-management of JDSF is the strongest medicine for our forests and community as a whole. I urge you to learn how you can support the stewards of this amazing forest.
To join the movement and learn more go to www.pomolandback.com.
Further Resources:
Pomo History - Encyclopedia.com
The Intertribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council
Redwood Forest Returned to Tribes
Halt Logging Northern California
The Bee Bold Alliance is a project of Thanksgiving Coffee that works to find sustainable solutions for our future generations by restoring biodiversity and supporting our local food systems. In collaboration with Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter and his family, we are building a resilient community for all life. www.beeboldalliance.com
Give 20% to the Bee Bold Alliance when you buy the Bee Bold Cause Coffee in Dark and Medium, or Decaf. We have raised over $21,000 to support biodiversity and local food security to date.
Recommended Reading
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Banner: Florence Namaja Wabire, Coffee Farmer from Mirembe Kawomera, Uganda
A Cup That Carried More Than Coffee
When Paul Katzeff co-founded Thanksgiving Coffee in 1972, he carried with him the heart of a social worker who believed business could be a tool for justice. That vision led us, in the early 2000s, to a group of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim farmers in Mbale, Uganda. They called their cooperative Mirembe Kawomera—“Delicious Peace.”
For nearly two decades, we roasted their beans and shared their story. Each bag carried more than coffee; it carried proof that people of different faiths could work side by side, building better lives through collaboration.
What We Accomplished Together
With your purchases and support, Delicious Peace became more than a product—it became a movement.
- A $1 rebate per bag funded clean water filters for all 342 cooperative households, drastically reducing illness and freeing income for education and food.
- Clean Cook Stoves replaced traditional open-fire kitchens for the most vulnerable families, using one-tenth the fuel while directing smoke safely outside the home. These stoves reduced illness and burns, curbed deforestation, and became a model for climate resilience, women’s health, and rural job creation.
- Women and girls gained back hours of their days once spent collecting firewood.
- Most importantly, a community once divided grew into a living example of interfaith harmony.
For a dive deeper, the full journey is archived here:
Mirebe Kawomera, M'bale Uganda Photo by Paul Katzeff
Why Delicious Peace Coffee Is No Longer Available
We know this is disappointing news. Some of you first discovered Thanksgiving Coffee through Delicious Peace. We are grateful for every cup you brewed.
Over two decades, we built demand for this coffee from zero to 10,000 pounds a year. It wasn’t easy—the growth came through our own costly marketing of the interfaith story. But importing from Uganda required purchasing a full container, nearly 37,000 pounds. There was never a market for the remaining 27,000 pounds, so we absorbed the excess into other blends in order to keep bringing their coffee in.
Today, with a single container costing about $200,000, that model is no longer financially possible for us as a small, values-driven company. We had to rethink how we continue telling this inspirational interfaith coffee story without jeopardizing the health of our business. Rather than overextend ourselves financially and risk the integrity of our work, we chose to step back responsibly and allow the story to evolve in new ways.
The decision wasn’t easy. Delicious Peace was an extraordinary coffee grown in rich volcanic soil. But more than the flavor, it was the interfaith cooperation that made it truly special. And that is the part of the story that continues today.
Two Boys from Mirembe Kawamera peering out the window. Photo by Paul Katzeff
A New Chapter: Nabugoye Crafts
The spirit of Delicious Peace did not end when the coffee did. It found new soil, new forms, new voices.
One of the cooperative’s original founders, Sinina Namidosi, transformed her crochet skills into a thriving artisan collective. Visitors admired her headpieces—worn in both Muslim and Jewish traditions—and she began teaching other women. Soon, artisans across the community were creating beauty together across faith lines.
Living in rural Mbale meant limited market access. With seed funding from Thanksgiving Coffee and the entrepreneurial spirit of local partner John Elijah, the group registered a business, opened a bank account, and launched an online store. Today, Nabugoye Crafts ships worldwide.
👉 Visit Nabugoye Crafts
Each piece—whether a headpiece, accessory, or textile—carries the same message that once filled your cup: Jews, Christians, and Muslims working side by side, creating beauty, and sustaining their families with dignity.
No Substitution, Only Continuation
There is no true substitute for Delicious Peace. What made it extraordinary wasn’t only the beans, it was the unity behind them. That story now continues through Nabugoye Crafts. By supporting these artisans, you’re keeping the spirit of Delicious Peace alive—helping women earn income, sustain their households, and model interfaith harmony for the next generation.
Fun note: Smithsonian Folkways recording Delicious Peace: Coffee, Music and Interfaith Harmony in Uganda.
With Gratitude
To all who supported Delicious Peace over the years: thank you. You funded clean water, you stood for interfaith peace, and you proved that coffee can be a force for justice. While the coffee itself is no longer on our shelves, the story lives on—now in the hands of Ugandan women artisans whose work is as purposeful as it is beautiful.
With gratitude,
The Thanksgiving Coffee Family
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Our CausesDelicious Peace Coffee: Honoring the Legacy, Continuing the Interfaith Journey
read more -
Your Guide to Our Legacy Cause Coffees
This season, we’re making an important change to our coffee lineup, including our Cause Coffees. As we simplify our offerings, here’s how to stay connected to the causes you care about. Thank you for supporting coffees that give back.
Starting in September, we're streamlining our packaged coffee offerings. With a simplified lineup, we can focus on the blends and origins we can source consistently, roast with excellence, and deliver to you at the highest possible quality.
This means saying goodbye to a few long‑time favorites, including some of our beloved Cause Coffees.
We will continue to offer SongBird Coffees and Bee Bold Medium Coffee.
While some coffees will no longer be available in our online store, our commitment to the causes and communities they support remains as strong as ever. In many cases, we'll continue to support these causes through private-label collaborations.
Support These Causes & Find Your Next Favorite Roast
The following Cause Coffees are retiring, but the missions they support continue on. We encourage you to visit their websites and sign up for their newsletters to stay connected. Plus, explore our recommended alternative coffee roasts — and keep brewing with purpose.
Delicious Peace
Continue to support INTERFAITH UGANDA. The spirit of Delicious Peace lives on beyond coffee. One of the cooperative’s original founders, Sinina Namidosi, transformed her crochet skills into a thriving artisan collective: Nabugoye Crafts.
- For Medium Roast → Try Rwanda Single Origin or Bee Bold Medium
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
Bee Bold Alliance *
Continue to support PROTECTING POLLINATORS.
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
* Note that Bee Bold Medium Roast is still available.
Save Our Wolves
Continue to support DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna
or Songbird Colombian - For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Mara Elephant Project
Continue to support WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN KENYA
- For Light Roast → Try Kenya - Nyeri Peaberry or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Baby Rhino Rescue
Continue to support PROTECTING ENDAGERED SPECIES
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Mendocino Land Trust
Continue to support LOCAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Wild Grounds
Continue to support AMERICAN WILD HORSE CAMPAIGN
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast →Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers
Continue to support COASTAL HERITAGE
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Redwood Forest Reserve
Continue to support ANCIENT FOREST PRESERVATION
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Continue Supporting Causes You Love
To help the causes behind these beloved coffees continue to thrive, we encourage you to:
- Visit the cause’s website and sign up for their newsletter.
- Purchase their private label coffee directly, where available.
- Follow their work on social media and share their story.
Thank you for continuing to support these causes—and our ongoing cause coffees below.
our ongoing Cause Coffees
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Our CausesCause Coffee Legacy Guide
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 ForestLearn more about how we support our Mother Earth
bee boldEarth Day Event in Fort Bragg 2024
read more -
Roots of Justice | Paul’s Blend –
Our Founders’ RoastJanuary is a month of return.
After the rush of the holidays, we slow down, reflect, and set intentions for the year ahead. At Thanksgiving Coffee Company, January brings us back to the beginning - to the land, the relationships, and the values that shaped who we are.Paul’s Blend is where that story starts.
Born on the Mendocino Coast in 1972, this Founders’ Roast honors Paul Katzeff’s lifelong belief that coffee could be more than a commodity - that it could be a tool for justice, dignity, and connection between people and place.
This is the coffee that carries our roots.
Paul Katzeff at the original roastery on Noyo Harbor, CA
A Cup Born from Mendocino
Thanksgiving Coffee Company was founded in a working harbor town shaped by fishermen, artists, and back-to-the-land dreamers. Mendocino’s rugged coastline and radical imagination influenced everything - from how we roasted coffee to how we built relationships with farmers around the world.
Paul’s Blend reflects that origin story. It is a classic medium roast crafted with consistency and care, developed through decades of roasting experience and long-standing partnerships with smallholder farmers.
This is not a trend coffee.
It’s a foundational one.Original roastery on the Noyo Harbor, California
Ariel view of the Noyo Harbor with original roastery and new roastery
Roots of Justice in Every Cup
Paul Katzeff came to coffee as a social worker and community organizer. That background shaped the values that still guide Thanksgiving Coffee today:
- Long-term, direct relationships with farming partners
- Paying prices that honor labor and sustain families
- Investing in farmer-led quality control and education
- Believing that quality of life and quality of coffee go hand in hand
Paul helped pioneer farmer-owned cupping labs, co-founded the Specialty Coffee Association, and advocated for organic and shade-grown coffee before it was mainstream.
Paul’s Blend is a tribute to that legacy - steady, thoughtful, and built for the long view.
Paul’s Blend Organic Medium Roast coffee.
Flavor Profile: A Foundational Medium Roast
Paul’s Blend is designed to be approachable, balanced, and deeply satisfying—an everyday coffee shaped by decades of craft and care.
Tasting Notes:
- Blueberry and gentle fruit sweetness
- Smooth cocoa and milk chocolate tones
- Soft cashew nuttiness
- Clean, comforting finish
It’s a coffee that meets you in the morning and stays with you through the day - expressive without being loud, familiar yet layered, and grounded in the flavors Paul has always loved most.
Paul's Blend is one of the award-winning coffee roasts from our 2017 Roaster of the Year prize.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and the Roots of Economic Justice
January is also a time to honor leaders who shaped the path toward justice, dignity, and shared responsibility. As we observe Martin Luther King Jr., we reflect on Dr. King’s enduring belief that civil rights and economic justice are inseparable - that a truly just society must honor the dignity of labor and ensure fairness within the systems that sustain everyday life.
Dr. King spoke often about the moral responsibility of both institutions and individuals, calling for an economy rooted in respect, equity, and human worth. He believed that progress is built not only through historic moments, but through consistent, values-driven actions - often quiet and unseen- that collectively shape the future.
Choosing where your coffee comes from is one of those choices. Every cup of Paul’s Blend supports long-standing relationships, ethical sourcing, and a belief that economic fairness begins with respect and reciprocity.
The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where civil rights and economic justice were brought together in a call for dignity, fair labor, and shared humanity.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom stands as a powerful reminder that the movement for civil rights was also a movement for economic justice. It called for fair labor, living wages, and systems that recognize the full dignity of every person’s work.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that justice must be woven into daily life - from wages and work to how communities care for one another. As we reflect on this moment in January, we are reminded that meaningful change is carried forward through sustained commitment and everyday choices - values lived out not only in moments of history, but in the practices we choose to uphold.
Paul’s East Harlem Buying Club, 1962
These photographs document a food buying club organized by mothers in East Harlem in 1962, operating out of the basement of a public housing project. Faced with high food prices, limited access to fresh ingredients, and the daily pressures of poverty, these women came together to solve a shared problem: food security for their families.
By pooling resources and purchasing food collectively, they lowered household food costs and increased disposable income - profits were shared, and expenses reduced through cooperation rather than competition. The food they sourced reflected their own cultural traditions, allowing families to eat healthier, familiar meals while maintaining dignity and autonomy.
Mothers in East Harlem working together in 1962 to organize a cooperative food buying club, using collective purchasing to improve food access, reduce costs, and strengthen community resilience. Photos by Paul Katzeff
An unexpected outcome emerged alongside the economic impact. The act of solving a community problem together fostered pride, hope, and a renewed sense of agency. The enthusiasm visible in these images reflects more than a transaction - it reveals the mental and emotional benefits of collective action and women-led leadership.
This grassroots model would later inform the next generation of food cooperatives, including Ukiah Natural Foods, and ultimately influence the cooperative principles that shaped businesses like Whole Foods Market. Long before “alternative food systems” entered the mainstream, these women demonstrated that necessity, creativity, and cooperation could build resilience from the ground up.
The values that shaped this moment - cooperation, dignity, and shared prosperity - would later shape how Paul approached coffee. Paul’s Blend carries that lineage forward, offering a daily ritual grounded in justice, relationship, and care.
Simple Recipe:
Paul’s Mendocino Morning LatteA grounding ritual for the start of the year.
Ingredients:
- Double espresso brewed with Paul’s Blend
- Steamed milk
- Light honey drizzle
Instructions:
- Pull a double espresso using Paul’s Blend.
- Steam milk until silky.
- Combine and finish with a gentle honey drizzle.
Enjoy slowly - best paired with a quiet January morning and a clear intention for the day ahead.
A Cup That Started a Movement
Paul’s Blend is more than our Founders’ Roast.
It’s a reminder of what’s possible when coffee is rooted in land, relationship, and justice.As we begin a new year, we invite you to start your mornings with intention - grounded in gratitude, guided by values, and connected to a story that began over fifty years ago on the Mendocino Coast.
Where to Go Next
Stay Connected
Join our Mailing List - for stories from origin, brewing tips, and seasonal releases.
With Gratitude Since 1972
To our farmers, our Mendocino community, and everyone who shares this daily ritual with us - thank you.
Your cup carries our roots forward.
Not Just a Cup, But a Just Cup™
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Stay in touch - we like to stay connected
SustainabilityPaul's Blend: Roots of Justice
read more -
COFFEE AS A CULTURAL BRIDGE
December on the Mendocino Coast carries a special kind of quiet as the fog lifts off the headlands, the lights in kitchen windows glow, and that first cup of coffee warms cold hands. This December we want to celebrate Global Citizenship: the understanding that every cup we brew is connected to lives and landscapes far beyond our own.
For more than fifty years, coffee has been our medium.
Our message is building connection.From our roastery in Fort Bragg spanning all the way to the hillsides of Rwanda, our work is guided by our intention: to inspire possibility and awaken potential in the communities we serve.
This month, we honor Rwanda’s story of healing, the spirit of the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award, and the farmers whose craft fills your cup.
Honoring the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award
In 2008, the interfaith coffee farmers of East Africa and Thanksgiving Coffee Company were honored with the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award from the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University.
The award recognized:
- our commitment to ethical and fair trade;
- our work empowering and connecting farmers and consumers;
- our pursuit of economic and social justice and environmental sustainability;
- and our belief that every person can help create a more peaceful world.
For us, this wasn’t simply a recognition of the past, but a compass for the future. It affirmed what has always been at the heart of Thanksgiving Coffee: coffee as a bridge between cultures, between faiths, and between people who may never meet but are deeply connected through the choices we make every day.
Rwanda: Rebuilding Through Relationship
Dukunde Kawa Cooperative farms span ten kilometers in Rwanda’s northern hills, where over 80% of members are women. Fair Trade Certified and winners of the SCAA Sustainability Award, this cooperative produces elegant coffee through meticulous daily harvesting and processing. Farmers bring fresh cherries to central washing stations in Musasa, where they are depulped, fermented, washed, and dried on raised beds—creating a cup with natural sweetness, citric brightness, and deep cocoa notes.
Coffee Farmers sorting coffee cherries, Rwanda
Mother and coffee farmer of Dukunde Kawa Cooperative, Rwanda
Rwandan coffee growing in the hills
Overlooking the drying racks from atop a beautiful mountain view, Rwanda
Gorilla Fund Legacy
Our relationship with Rwanda began in 2004, when Co-Founder Joan Katzeff traveled there to establish her first solo international partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. It was a defining moment in our history — a woman-led sourcing journey rooted in relationship, ecological responsibility, and courage.
In 2005, Co-Founder Paul Katzeff followed as part of a USAID initiative, working alongside Rwandan cooperatives to develop cupping labs and strengthen farmer-led quality. Together, Joan and Paul built a partnership that connected coffee farming, community renewal, and gorilla conservation across almost two decades.
Through this collaboration, we launched the Gorilla Fund Cause Coffee line in 2005, using Fairtrade Rwandan coffee to support the protection of mountain gorillas and the communities who share their habitat. In 2017, we expanded this legacy with Grauer’s Gorilla Coffee, made with Organic and Fairtrade beans from the Congo to support critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas.
In total, our Gorilla Fund Coffees raised $106,209 to support conservation, education, and habitat protection in Rwanda and the Congo.
This partnership reflects the heart of our ethos: a cup that protects life, uplifts communities, and strengthens the ecosystems we all share.
A December Pairing: Coffee + Cake
Featured Coffee: Rwanda Dukunde Kawa
This Rwanda Single Origin is the featured coffee of the month. It is an invitation to taste the elegance and strength of Rwandan craftsmanship. This is a coffee to slow down with. One to sip while you read, cook, or watch the morning light move across your own horizon.
- Red plum brightness
- Hibiscus and floral lift
- Honeyed sweetness
- Cocoa depth
- Clean, lingering finish
Featured Recipe: East African Coconut Cardamom Cake
A simple, beautiful cake inspired by coastal East African flavors, created to pair with Rwanda Single Origin. Best made with organic ingredients.
Serves: 8
Time: ~10 minutes prep + 35 minutes bake
Difficulty: EasyIngredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (full-fat preferred)
- ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional but lovely)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan or loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut milk, melted butter or oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. If using, sprinkle shredded coconut evenly over the top.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes in a round pan (or up to 40 minutes in a loaf pan), until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool slightly, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy a slice with a fresh cup of Rwanda Single Origin, and notice how the cardamom and coconut cradle the coffee’s brightness in a gentle, inviting way.
How to Practice Global Citizenship with Your Cup
Global citizenship can feel like a big idea, but it lives in very small, daily choices.
Here are a few simple ways to bring this theme to life:
- Brew with intention. Take a quiet moment to acknowledge the farmers, land, and hands that brought this coffee to you.
- Learn a farmer story. Visit our blog and read more about our origin partners and interfaith cooperative work.
- Share a cup. Make Rwanda coffee for a friend, neighbor, or coworker, and tell them a bit about the people behind the beans.
- Leave a review. Your feedback helps us tell farmer stories and grow support for relationship-grown coffee.
- Stay connected. Join our email list for monthly stories from origin, regenerative sourcing updates, and recipe pairings.
Every time you choose coffee that honors the people and our planet, you’re participating in a different kind of economy. An economy that is rooted in gratitude, reciprocity, and long-term relationship.
To our long-time customers and to those finding us for the first time, thank you. Your daily coffee ritual makes this work possible.
To the farmers of Rwanda: we see your courage, your craft, and your commitment to community. It is our honor to stand in partnership with you.
From our harbor in Fort Bragg to your table, may this season remind us how deeply connected we truly are, and how every choice we make can help shape a more just and compassionate world.
Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup™
Lavender Grace is the Sustainable consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
SustainabilityGlobal Citizenship Through Coffee: The Bridges We Build
read more - our commitment to ethical and fair trade;
Banner: Florence Namaja Wabire, Coffee Farmer from Mirembe Kawomera, Uganda
A Cup That Carried More Than Coffee
When Paul Katzeff co-founded Thanksgiving Coffee in 1972, he carried with him the heart of a social worker who believed business could be a tool for justice. That vision led us, in the early 2000s, to a group of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim farmers in Mbale, Uganda. They called their cooperative Mirembe Kawomera—“Delicious Peace.”
For nearly two decades, we roasted their beans and shared their story. Each bag carried more than coffee; it carried proof that people of different faiths could work side by side, building better lives through collaboration.
What We Accomplished Together
With your purchases and support, Delicious Peace became more than a product—it became a movement.
- A $1 rebate per bag funded clean water filters for all 342 cooperative households, drastically reducing illness and freeing income for education and food.
- Clean Cook Stoves replaced traditional open-fire kitchens for the most vulnerable families, using one-tenth the fuel while directing smoke safely outside the home. These stoves reduced illness and burns, curbed deforestation, and became a model for climate resilience, women’s health, and rural job creation.
- Women and girls gained back hours of their days once spent collecting firewood.
- Most importantly, a community once divided grew into a living example of interfaith harmony.
For a dive deeper, the full journey is archived here:
Mirebe Kawomera, M'bale Uganda Photo by Paul Katzeff
Why Delicious Peace Coffee Is No Longer Available
We know this is disappointing news. Some of you first discovered Thanksgiving Coffee through Delicious Peace. We are grateful for every cup you brewed.
Over two decades, we built demand for this coffee from zero to 10,000 pounds a year. It wasn’t easy—the growth came through our own costly marketing of the interfaith story. But importing from Uganda required purchasing a full container, nearly 37,000 pounds. There was never a market for the remaining 27,000 pounds, so we absorbed the excess into other blends in order to keep bringing their coffee in.
Today, with a single container costing about $200,000, that model is no longer financially possible for us as a small, values-driven company. We had to rethink how we continue telling this inspirational interfaith coffee story without jeopardizing the health of our business. Rather than overextend ourselves financially and risk the integrity of our work, we chose to step back responsibly and allow the story to evolve in new ways.
The decision wasn’t easy. Delicious Peace was an extraordinary coffee grown in rich volcanic soil. But more than the flavor, it was the interfaith cooperation that made it truly special. And that is the part of the story that continues today.
Two Boys from Mirembe Kawamera peering out the window. Photo by Paul Katzeff
A New Chapter: Nabugoye Crafts
The spirit of Delicious Peace did not end when the coffee did. It found new soil, new forms, new voices.
One of the cooperative’s original founders, Sinina Namidosi, transformed her crochet skills into a thriving artisan collective. Visitors admired her headpieces—worn in both Muslim and Jewish traditions—and she began teaching other women. Soon, artisans across the community were creating beauty together across faith lines.
Living in rural Mbale meant limited market access. With seed funding from Thanksgiving Coffee and the entrepreneurial spirit of local partner John Elijah, the group registered a business, opened a bank account, and launched an online store. Today, Nabugoye Crafts ships worldwide.
👉 Visit Nabugoye Crafts
Each piece—whether a headpiece, accessory, or textile—carries the same message that once filled your cup: Jews, Christians, and Muslims working side by side, creating beauty, and sustaining their families with dignity.
No Substitution, Only Continuation
There is no true substitute for Delicious Peace. What made it extraordinary wasn’t only the beans, it was the unity behind them. That story now continues through Nabugoye Crafts. By supporting these artisans, you’re keeping the spirit of Delicious Peace alive—helping women earn income, sustain their households, and model interfaith harmony for the next generation.
Fun note: Smithsonian Folkways recording Delicious Peace: Coffee, Music and Interfaith Harmony in Uganda.
With Gratitude
To all who supported Delicious Peace over the years: thank you. You funded clean water, you stood for interfaith peace, and you proved that coffee can be a force for justice. While the coffee itself is no longer on our shelves, the story lives on—now in the hands of Ugandan women artisans whose work is as purposeful as it is beautiful.
With gratitude,
The Thanksgiving Coffee Family
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Delicious Peace Coffee: Honoring the Legacy, Continuing the Interfaith Journey
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Your Guide to Our Legacy Cause Coffees
This season, we’re making an important change to our coffee lineup, including our Cause Coffees. As we simplify our offerings, here’s how to stay connected to the causes you care about. Thank you for supporting coffees that give back.
Starting in September, we're streamlining our packaged coffee offerings. With a simplified lineup, we can focus on the blends and origins we can source consistently, roast with excellence, and deliver to you at the highest possible quality.
This means saying goodbye to a few long‑time favorites, including some of our beloved Cause Coffees.
We will continue to offer SongBird Coffees and Bee Bold Medium Coffee.
While some coffees will no longer be available in our online store, our commitment to the causes and communities they support remains as strong as ever. In many cases, we'll continue to support these causes through private-label collaborations.
Support These Causes & Find Your Next Favorite Roast
The following Cause Coffees are retiring, but the missions they support continue on. We encourage you to visit their websites and sign up for their newsletters to stay connected. Plus, explore our recommended alternative coffee roasts — and keep brewing with purpose.
Delicious Peace
Continue to support INTERFAITH UGANDA. The spirit of Delicious Peace lives on beyond coffee. One of the cooperative’s original founders, Sinina Namidosi, transformed her crochet skills into a thriving artisan collective: Nabugoye Crafts.
- For Medium Roast → Try Rwanda Single Origin or Bee Bold Medium
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
Bee Bold Alliance *
Continue to support PROTECTING POLLINATORS.
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
* Note that Bee Bold Medium Roast is still available.
Save Our Wolves
Continue to support DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna
or Songbird Colombian - For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Mara Elephant Project
Continue to support WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN KENYA
- For Light Roast → Try Kenya - Nyeri Peaberry or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Baby Rhino Rescue
Continue to support PROTECTING ENDAGERED SPECIES
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Mendocino Land Trust
Continue to support LOCAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Wild Grounds
Continue to support AMERICAN WILD HORSE CAMPAIGN
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast →Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers
Continue to support COASTAL HERITAGE
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Redwood Forest Reserve
Continue to support ANCIENT FOREST PRESERVATION
- For Medium Roast → Try Paul’s Blend or Songbird Nicaraguan
- For Dark Roast → Try Mendocino Vienna or Songbird Colombian
- For Decaf → Try Royal Decaf or Songbird Decaf
Continue Supporting Causes You Love
To help the causes behind these beloved coffees continue to thrive, we encourage you to:
- Visit the cause’s website and sign up for their newsletter.
- Purchase their private label coffee directly, where available.
- Follow their work on social media and share their story.
Thank you for continuing to support these causes—and our ongoing cause coffees below.
our ongoing Cause Coffees
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Cause Coffee Legacy Guide
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Namanyonyi Co-op united a community
The wheels were set in motion many years ago when Thanksgiving Coffee began our work with the Ugandan Coffee Cooperative “Delicious Peace” to bring their Interfaith coffee to market. For those of you who have been following us on this unique journey, we want to share another perspective. It is an article written by an organization that understands cooperatives are run by people, and people have many ups and downs.
"We love this story of multiple faiths helping each other, moving beyond personal beliefs"
Child from the "Delicious Peace" Coffee Cooperative in Uganda.
The author is Rebecca Harvey, the executive editor of Co-operative News. She was very intrigued about the journey this cooperative has been on and contacted Thanksgiving to learn about our involvement. We had the opportunity to speak with her and share our story. We also learned that Co-op News has been around for over 150 years to support the communication between all the many cooperatives in England, and now the World.
The Article For You To Read:
How A Coffee Co-op United A Community – And Was Reborn After A Leadership Crisis
More of our history with the Delicious Peace Cooperative:
2009: Delicious Peace Moves Forward
2014: A Trip To Africa
2020: Delicious Peace Coffee: A New Story
2023: Evolution of Change
Where it all began - the Delicious Peace Coffee
Namanyonyi Co-op United A Community
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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
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Roots of Justice | Paul’s Blend –
Our Founders’ Roast
January is a month of return.
After the rush of the holidays, we slow down, reflect, and set intentions for the year ahead. At Thanksgiving Coffee Company, January brings us back to the beginning - to the land, the relationships, and the values that shaped who we are.
Paul’s Blend is where that story starts.
Born on the Mendocino Coast in 1972, this Founders’ Roast honors Paul Katzeff’s lifelong belief that coffee could be more than a commodity - that it could be a tool for justice, dignity, and connection between people and place.
This is the coffee that carries our roots.
Paul Katzeff at the original roastery on Noyo Harbor, CA
A Cup Born from Mendocino
Thanksgiving Coffee Company was founded in a working harbor town shaped by fishermen, artists, and back-to-the-land dreamers. Mendocino’s rugged coastline and radical imagination influenced everything - from how we roasted coffee to how we built relationships with farmers around the world.
Paul’s Blend reflects that origin story. It is a classic medium roast crafted with consistency and care, developed through decades of roasting experience and long-standing partnerships with smallholder farmers.
This is not a trend coffee.
It’s a foundational one.
Original roastery on the Noyo Harbor, California
Ariel view of the Noyo Harbor with original roastery and new roastery
Roots of Justice in Every Cup
Paul Katzeff came to coffee as a social worker and community organizer. That background shaped the values that still guide Thanksgiving Coffee today:
- Long-term, direct relationships with farming partners
- Paying prices that honor labor and sustain families
- Investing in farmer-led quality control and education
- Believing that quality of life and quality of coffee go hand in hand
Paul helped pioneer farmer-owned cupping labs, co-founded the Specialty Coffee Association, and advocated for organic and shade-grown coffee before it was mainstream.
Paul’s Blend is a tribute to that legacy - steady, thoughtful, and built for the long view.
Paul’s Blend Organic Medium Roast coffee.
Flavor Profile: A Foundational Medium Roast
Paul’s Blend is designed to be approachable, balanced, and deeply satisfying—an everyday coffee shaped by decades of craft and care.
Tasting Notes:
- Blueberry and gentle fruit sweetness
- Smooth cocoa and milk chocolate tones
- Soft cashew nuttiness
- Clean, comforting finish
It’s a coffee that meets you in the morning and stays with you through the day - expressive without being loud, familiar yet layered, and grounded in the flavors Paul has always loved most.
Paul's Blend is one of the award-winning coffee roasts from our 2017 Roaster of the Year prize.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and the Roots of Economic Justice
January is also a time to honor leaders who shaped the path toward justice, dignity, and shared responsibility. As we observe Martin Luther King Jr., we reflect on Dr. King’s enduring belief that civil rights and economic justice are inseparable - that a truly just society must honor the dignity of labor and ensure fairness within the systems that sustain everyday life.
Dr. King spoke often about the moral responsibility of both institutions and individuals, calling for an economy rooted in respect, equity, and human worth. He believed that progress is built not only through historic moments, but through consistent, values-driven actions - often quiet and unseen- that collectively shape the future.
Choosing where your coffee comes from is one of those choices. Every cup of Paul’s Blend supports long-standing relationships, ethical sourcing, and a belief that economic fairness begins with respect and reciprocity.
The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where civil rights and economic justice were brought together in a call for dignity, fair labor, and shared humanity.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom stands as a powerful reminder that the movement for civil rights was also a movement for economic justice. It called for fair labor, living wages, and systems that recognize the full dignity of every person’s work.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that justice must be woven into daily life - from wages and work to how communities care for one another. As we reflect on this moment in January, we are reminded that meaningful change is carried forward through sustained commitment and everyday choices - values lived out not only in moments of history, but in the practices we choose to uphold.
Paul’s East Harlem Buying Club, 1962
These photographs document a food buying club organized by mothers in East Harlem in 1962, operating out of the basement of a public housing project. Faced with high food prices, limited access to fresh ingredients, and the daily pressures of poverty, these women came together to solve a shared problem: food security for their families.
By pooling resources and purchasing food collectively, they lowered household food costs and increased disposable income - profits were shared, and expenses reduced through cooperation rather than competition. The food they sourced reflected their own cultural traditions, allowing families to eat healthier, familiar meals while maintaining dignity and autonomy.
Mothers in East Harlem working together in 1962 to organize a cooperative food buying club, using collective purchasing to improve food access, reduce costs, and strengthen community resilience. Photos by Paul Katzeff
An unexpected outcome emerged alongside the economic impact. The act of solving a community problem together fostered pride, hope, and a renewed sense of agency. The enthusiasm visible in these images reflects more than a transaction - it reveals the mental and emotional benefits of collective action and women-led leadership.
This grassroots model would later inform the next generation of food cooperatives, including Ukiah Natural Foods, and ultimately influence the cooperative principles that shaped businesses like Whole Foods Market. Long before “alternative food systems” entered the mainstream, these women demonstrated that necessity, creativity, and cooperation could build resilience from the ground up.
The values that shaped this moment - cooperation, dignity, and shared prosperity - would later shape how Paul approached coffee. Paul’s Blend carries that lineage forward, offering a daily ritual grounded in justice, relationship, and care.
Simple Recipe:
Paul’s Mendocino Morning Latte
A grounding ritual for the start of the year.
Ingredients:
- Double espresso brewed with Paul’s Blend
- Steamed milk
- Light honey drizzle
Instructions:
- Pull a double espresso using Paul’s Blend.
- Steam milk until silky.
- Combine and finish with a gentle honey drizzle.
Enjoy slowly - best paired with a quiet January morning and a clear intention for the day ahead.
A Cup That Started a Movement
Paul’s Blend is more than our Founders’ Roast.
It’s a reminder of what’s possible when coffee is rooted in land, relationship, and justice.
As we begin a new year, we invite you to start your mornings with intention - grounded in gratitude, guided by values, and connected to a story that began over fifty years ago on the Mendocino Coast.
Where to Go Next
Stay Connected
Join our Mailing List - for stories from origin, brewing tips, and seasonal releases.
With Gratitude Since 1972
To our farmers, our Mendocino community, and everyone who shares this daily ritual with us - thank you.
Your cup carries our roots forward.
Not Just a Cup, But a Just Cup™
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Stay in touch - we like to stay connected
Paul's Blend: Roots of Justice
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COFFEE AS A CULTURAL BRIDGE
December on the Mendocino Coast carries a special kind of quiet as the fog lifts off the headlands, the lights in kitchen windows glow, and that first cup of coffee warms cold hands. This December we want to celebrate Global Citizenship: the understanding that every cup we brew is connected to lives and landscapes far beyond our own.
For more than fifty years, coffee has been our medium.
Our message is building connection.
From our roastery in Fort Bragg spanning all the way to the hillsides of Rwanda, our work is guided by our intention: to inspire possibility and awaken potential in the communities we serve.
This month, we honor Rwanda’s story of healing, the spirit of the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award, and the farmers whose craft fills your cup.
Honoring the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award
In 2008, the interfaith coffee farmers of East Africa and Thanksgiving Coffee Company were honored with the Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award from the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University.
The award recognized:
- our commitment to ethical and fair trade;
- our work empowering and connecting farmers and consumers;
- our pursuit of economic and social justice and environmental sustainability;
- and our belief that every person can help create a more peaceful world.
For us, this wasn’t simply a recognition of the past, but a compass for the future. It affirmed what has always been at the heart of Thanksgiving Coffee: coffee as a bridge between cultures, between faiths, and between people who may never meet but are deeply connected through the choices we make every day.
Rwanda: Rebuilding Through Relationship
Dukunde Kawa Cooperative farms span ten kilometers in Rwanda’s northern hills, where over 80% of members are women. Fair Trade Certified and winners of the SCAA Sustainability Award, this cooperative produces elegant coffee through meticulous daily harvesting and processing. Farmers bring fresh cherries to central washing stations in Musasa, where they are depulped, fermented, washed, and dried on raised beds—creating a cup with natural sweetness, citric brightness, and deep cocoa notes.
Coffee Farmers sorting coffee cherries, Rwanda
Mother and coffee farmer of Dukunde Kawa Cooperative, Rwanda
Rwandan coffee growing in the hills
Overlooking the drying racks from atop a beautiful mountain view, Rwanda
Gorilla Fund Legacy
Our relationship with Rwanda began in 2004, when Co-Founder Joan Katzeff traveled there to establish her first solo international partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. It was a defining moment in our history — a woman-led sourcing journey rooted in relationship, ecological responsibility, and courage.
In 2005, Co-Founder Paul Katzeff followed as part of a USAID initiative, working alongside Rwandan cooperatives to develop cupping labs and strengthen farmer-led quality. Together, Joan and Paul built a partnership that connected coffee farming, community renewal, and gorilla conservation across almost two decades.
Through this collaboration, we launched the Gorilla Fund Cause Coffee line in 2005, using Fairtrade Rwandan coffee to support the protection of mountain gorillas and the communities who share their habitat. In 2017, we expanded this legacy with Grauer’s Gorilla Coffee, made with Organic and Fairtrade beans from the Congo to support critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas.
In total, our Gorilla Fund Coffees raised $106,209 to support conservation, education, and habitat protection in Rwanda and the Congo.
This partnership reflects the heart of our ethos: a cup that protects life, uplifts communities, and strengthens the ecosystems we all share.
A December Pairing: Coffee + Cake
Featured Coffee: Rwanda Dukunde Kawa
This Rwanda Single Origin is the featured coffee of the month. It is an invitation to taste the elegance and strength of Rwandan craftsmanship. This is a coffee to slow down with. One to sip while you read, cook, or watch the morning light move across your own horizon.
- Red plum brightness
- Hibiscus and floral lift
- Honeyed sweetness
- Cocoa depth
- Clean, lingering finish
Featured Recipe: East African Coconut Cardamom Cake
A simple, beautiful cake inspired by coastal East African flavors, created to pair with Rwanda Single Origin. Best made with organic ingredients.
Serves: 8
Time: ~10 minutes prep + 35 minutes bake
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (full-fat preferred)
- ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional but lovely)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan or loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut milk, melted butter or oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. If using, sprinkle shredded coconut evenly over the top.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes in a round pan (or up to 40 minutes in a loaf pan), until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool slightly, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy a slice with a fresh cup of Rwanda Single Origin, and notice how the cardamom and coconut cradle the coffee’s brightness in a gentle, inviting way.
How to Practice Global Citizenship with Your Cup
Global citizenship can feel like a big idea, but it lives in very small, daily choices.
Here are a few simple ways to bring this theme to life:
- Brew with intention. Take a quiet moment to acknowledge the farmers, land, and hands that brought this coffee to you.
- Learn a farmer story. Visit our blog and read more about our origin partners and interfaith cooperative work.
- Share a cup. Make Rwanda coffee for a friend, neighbor, or coworker, and tell them a bit about the people behind the beans.
- Leave a review. Your feedback helps us tell farmer stories and grow support for relationship-grown coffee.
- Stay connected. Join our email list for monthly stories from origin, regenerative sourcing updates, and recipe pairings.
Every time you choose coffee that honors the people and our planet, you’re participating in a different kind of economy. An economy that is rooted in gratitude, reciprocity, and long-term relationship.
To our long-time customers and to those finding us for the first time, thank you. Your daily coffee ritual makes this work possible.
To the farmers of Rwanda: we see your courage, your craft, and your commitment to community. It is our honor to stand in partnership with you.
From our harbor in Fort Bragg to your table, may this season remind us how deeply connected we truly are, and how every choice we make can help shape a more just and compassionate world.
Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup™
Lavender Grace is the Sustainable consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Global Citizenship Through Coffee: The Bridges We Build
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Our 2024 Impact Report
At Thanksgiving Coffee, every roast begins with a question: What really matters?
In 2024, we found answers by listening—to farmers, to customers, to our team, and to the land. The result is the most honest and grounded Impact Report (pdf) yet: a reflection of where we’ve been and where we’re headed next.
As we simplify our product line to focus on what we do best, we’re holding tight to the relationships and regenerative values that have always defined our work. That means sourcing from smallholder cooperatives, supporting ecological resilience, and roasting every bean with care and intention.
“Coffee, when done right, Is A Relationship.”
In 2024, we listened more deeply than ever:
⭐ 88.9% of our green coffee was Certified Organic
⭐ $91,529 donated to causes we care about
⭐ Verified health and income gains from clean energy investments in Uganda
⭐ Roasting with purpose for 52 years and counting
Our Ongoing Commitments
We remain committed to being ethically sourced and artisan roasted, maintaining over 88% of our coffees certified Organic, and guiding all purchases by our Purchasing for a Healthier Planet criteria. (This criteria was established in 1995 and is still going strong.)
While we're retiring many of our Cause Coffees this year, a few important ones will remain and their impact continues. From restoring pollinator habitat to protecting migratory bird forests, your daily cup still fuels change where it’s needed most.
Biodiversity loss is one of the most urgent challenges of our time, and we’re proud to stand with the growers, ecologists, and educators who are working to reverse it—one forest, one garden, one farm at a time.
Past Impact Reports
Lavender Grace is the Sustainability Consultant for Thanksgiving Coffee Company