Oh, the power of a crappy cup of Joe! Folsom Firefighter/Paramedic, Eli Held was fed up and frustrated with what he calls, “dirt coffee.” In other words, the really, really bad coffee, regularly served in fire stations. Delicious and hearty, gourmet meals are known to come out of those famous firehouse kitchens, but when it comes to coffee, let’s just say, it’s left on the back burner!
Since necessity is the mother of invention, Eli and his friends got to inventing. More accurately, they got to roasting. A few years ago, Eli and his good friend Doug Walker, started roasting coffee in Eli’s parents’ garage. Turns out, they were good at it. Family, friends and fellow firefighters drank it up. That sparked Eli and Doug to turn up the heat and officially start Duty to Act Coffee.
For a little less than two years now, Duty to Act Coffee has been producing whole bean and ground coffee, in medium, dark, and French roasts as well as k-cups. And while their coffee is available for all of us to enjoy, as Eli explains, the Duty to Act Coffee team is really concentrating on getting it to the firefighter and first responder community.
Eli says, “Now we focus on selling coffee to fire stations throughout the nation and making sure we deliver it to them for free and take care of them!”
Supporting Los Angeles Firefighters and First Responders
And they’re delivering more than just high-quality, liquid jolts of get-your-morning-started, fuel your fire, cups of confidence. Duty to Act Coffee is also stepping up, in a cash kind of way. They’re donating 5% of everything they sell, to help firefighters, fire services and first responders, especially those in need. So, thanks to Eli’s coffee company, every sip you take is full of flavor and philanthropy.
“Every time you’re drinking a cup of coffee, you’re giving back, you’re making a difference,” he says.
The Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund is just one of the causes on the receiving end of Duty to Act Coffee’s good deeds. Recently, the coffee makers raised $5,000 for our L.A. firefighter charity after a dozen firefighters were injured in a downtown L.A. blaze. And looking toward the future, they’re dedicating themselves to fundraising for the Firefighter’s Fund on an on-going basis. As the Founder and CEO of Duty to Act Coffee, Eli made a point to personally talk to members of the Los Angeles Fire Department to see what organization was held in high regard.
“They were quick to tell us that the L.A. Firemen’s Relief Association and the Widows and Orphans Fund make a difference for our agency and taking care of the members, and so for us, it was a no-brainer and a great opportunity for us to link with somebody and to be able to make a difference and have the ability to give back to a foundation that’s going to support the members of the fire service there in LAFD as well as help with the community.”
You’ll also find Duty to Act Coffee donating their product to charity auctions and fundraisers. And with a brick-and-mortar store in Vacaville, California and strong online demand, their coffee business continues to grow and expand. They’re actively building an army of firefighters and first responders across the country to join the Duty to Act Coffee team.
The goal is twofold, to continue to provide quality, delicious coffee to those who really need and enjoy it, and, at the same time, use that coffee as a platform, to support and help those in the fire service and first responder community. According to Eli, this is big picture kind of stuff. “It’s giving back and helping build the fire family!”
But even when looking at the big picture, every cup counts, so Duty to Act Coffee is offering our readers a special discount code. Whether you visit the Northern California location or check them out at Duty to Act Coffee, mention code LAFD and get 15% off your order. And, to make sure our charity receives 5% of the proceeds from your purchase, be sure to choose Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund as your charity of choice in the dropdown menu of your cart when you check out.
If you’re sipping at the office, at the corner café, or in your own home, it’s no secret that coffee brings people together, but now it can also help those who come to the rescue when you need help the most. Duty to Acto Coffee and its dedication to supporting the firefighting community is the perfect example of what it means to be, good to the last drop!
By Patrick Stinson