“Saint Basil Coffee” – Making a difference one cup of coffee at a time

It may be hard to imagine that a simple cup of coffee can be a catalyst for change, but it can! Saint Basil Coffee has recently surpassed half a million dollars in donations to the Basilian Fathers Missions! Here’s how …

It all started years ago, with a request from Father Vince Thompson CSB to good friends and retired successful business owners Mary and Jim Boyles. Father Vince was hoping the Boyles could come up with a means to provide sustained additional financial support for the mission work of the Basilian Fathers in Latin America.

The Boyles took up the challenge and created Saint Basil Coffee, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit. It funds the missions by giving away all proceeds from the sale of Saint Basil coffee and donations. Saint Basil Coffee has no paid employees – it is operated by volunteers.

The guiding principle for Saint Basil Coffee was and is the social justice teachings of Saint (Pope) John Paul II – that is to help our sisters and brothers most in need. Saint Basil Coffee embraces this teaching by focusing its support on education and job skills training. These coupled with humanitarian assistance are the “essentials” for people to lift themself out of poverty and onto a pathway to a better life.

The Basilian projects and work that Saint Basil Coffee has impacted through its financial support are extensive. Key among these are enabling underserved children to receive an education and unskilled adults to learn a trade through job skills workshops. There are many other initiatives that Saint Basil Coffee has supported to include the San Basilio medical and dental clinics that provide no to low-cost healthcare that otherwise is not available and Basilnet which is an internet café that fills a void for children to help with their schoolwork and moms and dads to find work. It has supported several food programs, particularly for children and the elderly.

Saint Basil coffee is “Direct Trade” coffee. The small, independent coffee growers in Colombia who supply the coffee beans for Saint Basil coffee receive a fair price for their coffee beans enabling them and their workers to earn a living wage!

Saint Basil Coffee is like a small pebble dropped in a pond – there is no big splash but the ripples it makes reach out into a bigger and bigger circle. It started with a single cup of coffee that has grown to over a half million dollars in donations to the Basilian Fathers Mission and has made a life changing difference to thousands of our sisters and brothers most in need!

To learn more or make a purchase or donation, please go to Saint Basil Coffee’s website at www.saintbasilcoffee.com.

Note: Saint Basil Coffee is not financially, legally, or operationally affiliated with the Congregation of Saint Basil. It is a stand-alone nonprofit organization.

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