Why is Simply Smiles Selling coffee?

When faced with an injustice, rarely is there an obvious solution.  Rarely is there a “silver bullet”.  In the case of our “Village Project” in Oaxaca, Mexico the obvious and powerful solution to the unspeakable poverty there is coffee.  There are literally thousands of people starving in this region.  They were coffee farmers, but the inevitable globalization of the coffee market destroyed this traditional way of life leaving parents unable to provide even the basic necessities for their children.  In an effort to address this travesty, we began Simply Smiles Coffee.  This coffee can bring a dignified existence back to these people – these people who are our friends.  It is the long term solution.  But we need your cup to do so.

That’s great!  Where can I buy Simply Smiles Coffee?

Simply Smiles Coffee is available right here to order online.  It is also available at some local stores and churches in CT.  This is a new endeavor, and we look forward to exciting growth which will take us into markets, coffee houses, etc.

Is it Free Trade coffee?

This is a complicated subject that marketers have made sound cut-and-dry.  The short answer is that technically no, the coffee is not Free Trade.  Free Trade is a designation, a certification, and you have to pay for it.  A tidy sum…  As we move forward, we hope to do many things with coffee farmers in Oaxaca.  Including forming a coffee collaborative run by the farmers themselves, help them to improve their yields, and achieve Free Trade status.

Is it Organic coffee?

This is another complicated subject that marketers have made sound cut-and-dry. Again, the short answer is that technically no, the coffee is not certified organic.  You have to get an organic certification in order to claim a product as such.  To do so is a lengthy and expensive process.  As we move forward, we hope to do many things with coffee farmers in Oaxaca.  Including forming a coffee collaborative run by the farmers themselves, help them to improve their yields, and get organic certification.

Is my purchase of Simply Smiles Coffee Tax-Deductible?

No, as you are receiving a product in exchange for your payment, your purchase is not tax-deductible.  As Simply Smiles is a 501c3 charity organization, your donations to Simply Smiles may be deductible as allowed by law.