Helping A Local School Provide Coffee Care Packages for US Vets

Each year, at Pecatonica Middle School, just outside Fire Department Coffee's home-base of Rockford, Illinois, students assemble care packages to be distributed at the school’s Veterans Day celebration. In 2021, Fire Dept. Coffee has helped send a coffee care package to local military members serving around the world.

As part of this effort, the FDC team worked together to donate 200 bags of coffee and 200 military-themed stickers to be shared with our heroes in the armed services.

It is an honor for Fire Dept. Coffee to give back to the men and women who step up to serve our country and a pleasure to work with the students and staff at Pecatonica Middle School.

 

A Tradition of Giving Back to US Vets

The veterans care package program at Pecatonica Middle School began when library aide Micki Hutton’s son was deployed overseas with the Marine Corps. She rallied the students to assemble care packages for her son and his fellow Marines.

The effort was a huge success, and she has kept the program growing every year since.

FDC was honored to participate in this mission – including Randy James. Randy is a full-time firefighter who works with us when he’s not on shift. His father served in the Army and his grandfather in the Marines, so he has a special appreciation for military service.

Randy brought the coffee and stickers to Pecatonica Middle School and worked with the students to prepare the boxes to be shipped around the world. The school maintains a list of local men and women serving in the armed forces, so they can treat them to a special gift from home each year.

The school also hosts an annual Veterans Day celebration. Students from the nearby elementary school join in to sing a few songs to honor the veterans, who get to enjoy refreshments and gifts from local businesses. This year, those US Vets will take home Fire Dept. Coffee.

Our contribution included 100 bags of our Original Medium Roast, as well as 50 bags each of Backdraft Espresso and Skull-Crushing Espresso, to go with the 200 military-themed stickers that we hope the veterans will love.

 

A Continuous Mission to Give Back through the Fire Dept. Coffee Charitable Foundation

This example is just one of Fire Dept. Coffee's many missions to give back to our communities, and the men and women who serve this country. Whether that be a first responder, firefighter, or active duty service member, we seek to not only provide great-tasting coffee to everyone, but give back to those who help make our every day lives safer.