We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with two trusted partners, Aspire Growth and La Marzocco, to give back in a big way, helping Seattle youth prepare for life after high school.
New Relationships Through ConnectionsFour short years ago, one of our wholesale customers, Café Red, introduced us to Ty Edwards. Ty was on a mission to help kids living in low-income areas prepare for life after high school. That was the start of Aspire Growth, a nonprofit in Washington State that’s now supporting King County BIPOC youth in middle school and high school in building community, getting access to needed services, and moving towards greater autonomy.
As Ty was getting his mission up and running, he connected with generous Café Red owner, Jesiah Wurtz, who agreed to start a barista training program for the kids involved. Training began in 2019 with kids in middle school to early high school age.
Fulcrum stepped in to expand those efforts, committing to build Aspire Growth its very own mobile espresso cart so the kids can use their barista skills, develop entrepreneurial habits, and be included in events all around Seattle.
Our Ongoing CommitmentFor Fulcrum, our dedication to sustainability and collaboration is just the start. We’ve made it our ongoing mission to unite the coffee community through a holistic approach to every part of our ecosystem. This includes empowering our growers, enriching business operations, and investing in the community.
At Fulcrum Coffee Roasters, we stand out for our commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship, and experience. By remaining true to our mission and values, we are able to add value to the entire local community.
On March 15th, along with Ty, we celebrated the Aspire Growth kids graduating from high school this year – and more than half of them with full-ride scholarships to universities around Washington State.
Building Community Through CoffeeCoffee is a point of connection for people from all walks of life. We believe that it can fuel passions, strengthen bonds, and enhance the everyday lives of everyone involved, from farm to cup.
Upon committing to the cart proposal, we turned to our trusted partner, La Marzocco, a local supplier of commercial coffee supplies, who agreed to provide the espresso machine.
And this month, we celebrated the ribbon cutting of the completed espresso cart. Along with the youth involved in Aspire Growth, we were able to gather with partners and other distinguished guests including Mayor Bruce Harrell of Seattle, CEO of Intentionalist Laura Clise, and Andrew Daday with La Marzocco. We used this opportunity to not only recognize the young students, but to connect them and our wholesale customers with resources in the mayor’s office.
Fulcrum is honored to partner with Aspire Growth in their mission to help young adults learn necessary skills and gain knowledge to help them meet success in the working world.
