free 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? 


We gather on the Main Quad outside of the Illini Union on Fridays from 10am-12pm.


Our offerings include ethically sourced, high quality coffee, because free doesn't have to be bad. We also serve a seasonal offering that's not caffeinated alongside it. Think lemonade when it's hot and cocoa when there's a chill in the air.


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!




OUR COFFEE PARTNERSHIPS

I had updated Alan Hable a few years ago on the information regarding our coffee.  We are no longer partnering with Jorge Serrano and the coffee we currently use for wholesale is a Guatemala Huehuetenango. 

We have been working with an importer on Guatemala coffee for the past 15 years—Kapeh Utz is the name of the importer (kapeh-utz.com is their website if you’d like to get further information about them).

We’ve always loved that their mission is to work with small producers. 

 

Here’s some info on the coffee you were shipped:


Martina Bernardo de Martin and her husband Juan Jose are indigenous Mayan coffee producers who speak Mam. Martina is in charge of their family coffee fields and wet mill processing, while Jose coordinates the business. Their coffee is cultivated in the Sierra de Los Cuchumatanes mountains of Huehuetenango, approximately 3 hours north of the city of Huehuetenango. The coffee undergoes wet processing at a site amongst the coffee fields before being dried in the sun at their at home artisan wet mill. Processing in the remote area of Rio Ocho brings out fruity flavors and less acidic characteristics similar to that of a natural processed coffee. Kapeh Utz has worked with the Martin family since the start of our business!


Varieties: Caturra, Red Pache, and Bourbon
Grade: Strictly hard bean (SHB), 1900 - 2000 meters
Preparation: Fully washed. Sun dried on concrete patios and black nylon
Certifications: Organically farmed, but not certified organic. Direct trade
Cup Characteristics: Sugarcane, honey, chocolate, sweet orange citrus acidity, red wine




Our roaster is The Friendly Bean in Kansas City, MO. The Friendly Bean is a small community coffee shop in Kansas City that offers fresh roasted coffees which they roast at our own roasterie. 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 these 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.