MANCHESTER, NH – A&E Coffee & Tea has collaborated with the International Institute of New England (IINE) to raise money to welcome, support and help refugees. Currently 50 percent of the sales of their newly released Organic Fair Trade coffee from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will go directly to IINE. Coffee bags may be purchased at A&E Coffee & Tea cafes, or online at www.aeroastery.com.
The DRC has been caught up in a long civil war between tribal groups and subsequent vacuums of power. Coffee is a shining ray of hope, providing necessary economic stability and community in pockets throughout the country. The quality of the coffee has continued to improve as the growers and wash stations implement best practices.
“We have seen the improvement in the coffee that mirrors the improvement in the stability and quality of life over the past few years,” says Emeran Langmaid, owner of A&E Coffee & Tea. “It is a wonderful opportunity as a business to buy quality, organic fair trade coffee from people, mainly women, who have worked hard to produce it. We then get to turn around and offer this amazing coffee to our customers. Now, we can give back even more by donating 50 percent of the sales of this coffee to the IINE.”
The IINE is a non-profit organization that welcomes, supports and helps approved refugees coming to New England. Many of the refugees have come from the DRC. They have escaped the brutality in their village, but need assistance resettling here.
The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $1,000, the estimated amount to welcome and support one refugee. It will run until the coffee is sold out. A&E Coffee & Tea is a coffee roastery and loose leaf tea purveyor based in Amherst, with a satellite coffee shop on Elm Street in Manchester. Roasting since 2001, they have been supplying cafes, restaurants and businesses with sustainably, quality coffee and tea in a business that supports economic fairness to growers.
