RI Coffee Roasters Save the Holidays for our Troops

Published on Friday, November 15, 2024

PAWTUCKET, RI — Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos today recognizes eight Rhode Island coffee roasters who have gone above and beyond to support active-duty military members and who have saved the holidays for our troops by supporting Operation Holiday Cheer. These local companies stepped up on short notice to donate 455 pounds of high-quality, locally-produced coffee to military members stationed away from home: Bolt Coffee Co., Coastal Roasters, Downeast Coffee Roasters, Hazel Origin Coffee, Lil’ Rhody Coffee Company, North Koffee, Seaworthy Coffee Roasters, and Springline Coffee.

“When we had to scramble to replace 400 bags of coffee in our care packages to military members, our local businesses answered the call within hours. Thanks to their generosity, we are going to be able to give our troops around the world exactly what they asked for this holiday season,” said Lieutenant Governor Matos. “This story is a testament to how much our small business community does to help both our economy and our culture.”

The Lieutenant Governor’s annual Operation Holiday Cheer program ships hundreds of care packages to Rhode Island military members who are stationed away from home during the holidays. These care packages are filled with local favorites, including the most popular request from our troops: good coffee.

This year, in the final days of the program, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor was informed that the usual corporate donor of that coffee was unable to participate in Operation Holiday Cheer. Facing a shortfall of hundreds of pounds of the item at the top of our troops’ wish list, Lieutenant Governor Matos and the Rhode Island Blue Star Moms sent a plea to Rhode Island-based coffee roasters for their help.

Within hours, small business owners from across the state responded and worked together to donate over 450 pounds of coffee. As a result of their generosity, Operation Holiday Cheer is back on target and Rhode Island military members stationed away from home will receive care packages that are bigger and better than ever.

"Usually, when you shop local, it stays local; this weekend will be the rare exception as hundreds of bags of local coffee travel around the nation and the globe to Rhode Islanders who miss home,” continued Lieutenant Governor Matos. “On behalf of the State, the Blue Star Moms, and the many partners who make Operation Holiday Cheer possible, I express the deepest possible gratitude to the local businesses who saved the holidays for our troops.”

GET INVOLVED:

Rhode Islanders who want to join these businesses in donating to active-duty Rhode Island military members still have time to do so and can learn more by visiting ltgov.ri.gov.

Boxes will be packed at the US Army National Guard Armory in Cranston on the weekend of November 16th and 17th. To ensure every service member stationed away from home gets a box, the Lieutenant Governor asks Rhode Islanders to share the names and addresses of friends or family members who are currently deployed by contacting her office at 401-222-2371 or ltgov@ltgov.ri.gov.