COFFEE ON CAMPUS

Let's be honest, it's college. Most of us run on caffeine, and those of us that don't still like free stuff. But coffee isn't just fuel, it's a medium for people connecting – so we thought, why not offer a free cup of coffee and a smile to the campus each week? 


Other than free coffee, our tent is also an easy and low-pressure way to meet us as a ministry. We'd love for you to stop by, say hi, and connect with one of our students to learn more about I-Life. We might even write your name on the cup...


Check out our map below, and we'll be looking forward to meeting you on the quad!




About our Coffee

Our beans are grown by Jorge Serrano in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. As he farms his beans in the towns of Siguatepeque and Comayagua, he has a few commitments that he holds to:

  1. Produce the best quality coffee he can produce year in and year out.
  2. Pay his workers at least 10% more than standard wages for coffee workers.
  3. Donate coffee to a roaster in Honduras who roasts coffee for local restaurants/businesses and retail that generates more revenue to go back into local missions projects.

Specifically, that revenue goes to help a ministry called Casa Hogar Vida, an organization that is dedicated to helping the people of Honduras.  Honduras reports one of the highest rates of people infected by HIV (33,000 in 2011) and has 43,000 orphans due to AIDS, so the need is incredibly high. Casa Hogar Vida stands in the gap with an orphanage which houses children that have either lost parents to HIV/AIDS or have been born HIV positive. Currently the housing project they offer has 40 homes. In addition to the orphanage, they also have a nutrition center which assists families in the community with training, information and basic healthcare needs, and community center. The center currently has approximately 70 kids involved. 


All this to show that when Illini Life orders beans from Jorge, we're helping to supply for those in need in Choluteca.


Jorge sells his beans to The Friendly Bean in Kansas City, MO. John, the owner there roasts the beans fresh for Illini Life when we order them. The Friendly Bean has a commitment to donate at least 50% of the profits from sales back to Honduras to support Casa Hogar Vida. As well, they have worked to train the roaster in Honduras to bring out the best qualities of Jorge's beans. Then, when Illini Life orders our beans, John ships them to us and we brew them fresh in our office on campus every week.


Simply put the more cups of free coffee we give out, the more students on our campus we bless AND the more help we offer to those in need in Honduras. If you'd like to learn more about our free coffee ministry, contact one of our staff or stop by on a Friday. We'd love to tell you more.