NORFOLK, Va. - A new local coffee shop is brewing up a cup for charity. Coaster Coffee is owned by Ocean View Church and will be run like any small business, but once earnings hit even with costs, the money will go right back into the community.
The idea of a coffee shop has been brewing for years to those at the church.
"We looked around our city and in our section of the city, north of Little Creek Road here and there are not a lot of places to meet with other people," said Aaron Dininny.
Coaster Coffee has all the makings of a locally owned coffee shop, but with a healthy serving of frothy philanthropy on top. All the profits from Coaster Coffee will be given back.
"This creates a long-term financially sustainable avenue of being able to not just fundraise here and there, but have a long range strategy of having money to be raised and poured back into the community," said Dininny.
Sustainable meaning the employees get paid and so do the bills, but after that it all goes to charity. Coffee is just the start.
"We have dreams of starting a music studio for underprivileged young people in our area, we want to start community gardens, support local food pantries, building different parks and help the city be a better place," said Dininny. He said people in the community who he's talked to are more generous than the resources they have.
That's where Coaster Coffee comes in. Customers can feel like they're making a difference.
"We're just people that work hard and don`t have a lot of over and above money, but they can go to a coffee shop, and know that money they`re giving to buy a great cup of coffee is going back to help the community."
If expectations are met within the first year, the coffee shop will be able to donate more than $10,000.
