I was born into a family in rural Minnesota that believed it was our responsibility to save the world. I had some sense of that at age 5, and when reading about Harriet Tubman in third grade, recognized my call was to help lead people to freedom. At that point I started to study trauma to understand why people did what they did—on both sides of the equation and never stopped. I was 5 when I started collecting traumatized animals, and then between 6th and 7th grade, began accompanying mostly children on their healing journey. Through many decades, that has been my focus as a clergy person, mother (adopted/collected 7 children, 6 with significant PTSD), founder of Project Empower (combined with the Coffee Connection in 2011), and as executive director of the Coffee Connection. At the Coffee Connection we combine program and business for women in recovery from addiction, trauma and incarceration in our coffee roasting business with a coffee shop and a café. I love to see people heal, to recognize their inherent worth, to overcome barriers that have held them captive. Whether supporting someone new to recovery, someone with a relapse, or someone learning critical thinking, communication, or conflict transformation in the context of learning employment skills, this is the gas in my tank. I especially enjoy interviewing new interns/employees who are ashamed of their past, realize that their past—including incarceration—qualify them to be a part of the Coffee Connection team.
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Choose a borrower
Browse categories of borrowers— people looking to grow businesses, go to school, switch to clean energy, and more.
Make a loan
Select a borrower who you connect with and help fund a loan with as little as $25.
Get repaid
Receive updates on your loans and see the dollars return to your Kiva account.
Repeat!
Use the repayment to support another borrower, or withdraw your money.
Learn more about how Kiva works
Funded
A loan helped us survive this crisis and thrive as a business run by women in recovery.
Joy's story
This loan is special because:
More about this loan
Business Description
We are a nonprofit program integrated with a business of roasting and selling coffee. Our coffee has always been fair trade, grown organically and in the shade and is a premium coffee.
I founded the Project Empower program which merged with the Coffee Connection in 2011. Initially the Coffee Connection was for entry level employment training with women in early recovery from addiction. In 2011 there were no employees and now we have 12, plus interns. Recovery from addiction, trauma, and incarceration is a long journey with much support needed to achieve sustained recovery, life-skills, and employment.
Presently we have our “mother ship,” which includes the roasting and distribution, as well as a coffee shop. Our café is our second location where we do food preparation, as well as host groups and lots of music. We are expanding our online business. Money is always the biggest challenge, coupled with the benefits gap for health insurance. We want to pay women fairly which is difficult enough, but that also puts them out of affordable health insurance. We work with a vulnerable population which affects stability.
I have always believed that people with histories of addiction, trauma, and incarceration have the same potential with others not so noticeably challenged. I would like to see the program and business operated by women from our focus population. This means an adequate financial foundation. We earn around 65% of our needed revenue, but as with colleges and universities, our earned revenue is not sufficient. We continually strive to raise as much of the needed revenue as possible, but being fully self-sufficient without benefactors, donors, and grants is unlikely. Many of our women have chosen the Coffee Connection as their career in their desire to help many more women. We want a sound foundation for a successful and sustainable future!
I am proud of the longevity of our employees, most of whom began as interns, and now have an average of 5 years. I am proud of the success of our women, their ability to learn and grow, their enthusiasm and hard work.
We’ve grown from no employees to twelve in 8 years and have launched many successful former interns and employees into success beyond the Coffee Connection. We have many customers and collaborate with other organizations with whom we share common ground.
The Coffee Connection has a huge social impact … High success with women in recovery from addiction; Fair pay for coffee farmers in Peru, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Ethiopia and Sumatra; Economic benefit to the community by reducing reliance on social and legal services, child protective services, including jail and prison, and increased taxes and consumer spending; Healthier families and relationships; Environmentally-friendly organic and shade grown coffee, as well as our in-house practices of recycling, composting, and reduction of plastic use.
What is the purpose of this loan?
This loan will support a sustainable future as we continue to expand employment and support of women in recovery from addiction, trauma, and incarceration. Our immediate goal is to support their journey throughout the COVID 19 pandemic and to secure a now endangered future.
This loan will help support payroll for vulnerable women, as well as other operational expenses including marketing for continuing growth. It will also provide funding for required equipment needs and expansion of wholesale, online, and retail sales, including development of new products. In these ways, this loan will support of the future of Coffee Connection/Project Empower to ensure a successful mission.
The COVID 19 pandemic threatens many businesses and programs. This loan will help us survive and hopefully thrive. This loan will not only help the Coffee Connection/Projecet Empower survive this unprecedented historical and global challenge, but enable us to expand our business and continue to support successful sustainability for women in recovery from addiction, trauma and incarceration and give their children healthy families.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Field Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Field Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Field Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Field Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Field Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Field Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Field Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Field Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Field Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
What is a risk rating?
The Field Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Field Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Field Partner section of every loan. Field Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Field Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Field Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Field Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Field Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Field Partners often work with borrowers over time to help them build credit and expand their businesses. In order to make it easier for partners to post loans for borrowers who have been listed on Kiva before, we allow some partners the ability to relist a loan without having to re-enter all of the borrower's information. When this occurs, you'll see an updated loan description, as well as excerpts of the original descriptions from an earlier loan.
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Field Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
About Coffee Connection
Lenders and lending teams
Country: United States
Trustee:
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Why are you endorsing Joy?
Joy is a unique individual, and I am proud to endorse her for a Kiva loan. For women with a history of substance abuse, Joy creates jobs. She trains them with the long-term goal of becoming employable. All while selling fair trade, organically grown, and sustainably farmed coffee. She was one of the first Kiva borrowers (and I was her Trustee) in Rochester. She has since paid that off and went on to borrowed and paid off a 2nd, so she has a long successful history with Kiva. Each of these loans were utilized to help grow her business thus enabling her to hire more woman. Above all else, Joy through Coffee Connections, provides a sense of community that is so much in need to succeed in today’s environment.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Field Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Field Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Field Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Field Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Field Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Field Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Field Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Field Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Field Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
What is a risk rating?
The Field Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Field Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Field Partner section of every loan. Field Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Field Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Field Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Field Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Field Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Field Partners often work with borrowers over time to help them build credit and expand their businesses. In order to make it easier for partners to post loans for borrowers who have been listed on Kiva before, we allow some partners the ability to relist a loan without having to re-enter all of the borrower's information. When this occurs, you'll see an updated loan description, as well as excerpts of the original descriptions from an earlier loan.
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Field Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Trustee:
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Why are you endorsing Joy?
Joy is a unique individual, and I am proud to endorse her for a Kiva loan. For women with a history of substance abuse, Joy creates jobs. She trains them with the long-term goal of becoming employable. All while selling fair trade, organically grown, and sustainably farmed coffee. She was one of the first Kiva borrowers (and I was her Trustee) in Rochester. She has since paid that off and went on to borrowed and paid off a 2nd, so she has a long successful history with Kiva. Each of these loans were utilized to help grow her business thus enabling her to hire more woman. Above all else, Joy through Coffee Connections, provides a sense of community that is so much in need to succeed in today’s environment.
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