Coffee collaboration packs a $4,000 punch

The partnership that saw coffee roasters JJ Bean sell a special Brazilian-sourced birthday blend to help The Vancouver Sun celebrate its 100th birthday has raised $4,000 for literacy groups. It was one of the most successful promotions in JJ Bean’s history. The Vancouver Sun Birthday Bean was sold over three months at all JJ Bean locations. The company contributed $2 from the sale of each 12-ounce bag of coffee toward The Sun’s Raise-a-Reader Fund, which promotes children and family literacy locally, and globally focused Room to Read, which provides school supplies and builds libraries and schools. “This is the first thing we’ve done with Room to Read,” said JJ Bean owner John Neate, who selected the organization. “We had a number of our customers say, ‘I know about Room to Read and I’m so glad you’re supporting them.’ ” The $4,000 raised from coffee sales is being divided equally between the two charities. Sharon Davis, Vancouver chairwoman of Room to Read, says the $2,000 donation will go a long way for her organization. “It’s $250 a year to educate a girl in the developing world,” said Davis. “For $2,000, eight girls get to go to school. It’s huge for us.” Proceeds from the Vancouver Sun Birthday Bean will go directly to a global project, she said.