$18,000 to be shared across three innovative projects that support coffee farming women in Nicaragua, Rwanda, and Ecuador 

After much deliberation, the JavaJog Grant Review Committee selected three projects to receive funds collected through the 2017 Seattle race. The projects support the creation of an organic farmers market in Nicaragua, a coffee seedling nursery in Rwanda, and a coffee processing and distribution center in Ecuador.

The 2017 Grant Review Committee recommended the allocation in funds in line with JavaJog’s Grant Protocol, which requires separation of the project review and evaluation process from the JavaJog Organizing Committee. The members of this year’s committee were: Charlene Lewey of King Arthur Flour (formerly of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters), Ben Schmerler of Root Capital and Katherine Nolte of Sucafina. The proposals are scored along six key criteria.

JavaJog 2017 is please to recognize the three winners!

• In Nicaragua, the SOPPEXCCA coffee cooperative is embarking on an ambitious new venture: to bring organic vegetables and fruit grown by women cooperative members to the residents of Jinotega, Nicaragua. This first-ever organic farmers market, run by SOPPEXCCA, will provide a healthier alternative for the 100,000 people living in the area, while delivering opportunities for coffee farmers to diversify income and improve nutrition for their own families. JavaJog has allocated $7500 to Food 4 Farmers to implement this project in partnership with SOPPEXCCA.
• The Rusave Coffee Cooperative in Rwanda will receive $5096, to work in collaboration with The Kula Project to build a seedling nursery to house and cultivate 35,000 coffee tree seedlings, and distribute coffee trees to 150 women coffee farmers, as well as provide agricultural training on the planting and maintenance of coffee trees.
• In Chaucha, Ecuador,  El Grupo de Mujeres (EGM) or ‘The Women’s Group’ aims to increase the economic resiliency of the residents by supporting a collaborative, community-wide and women-led project of income generation and job creation. JavaJog has awarded $5404 to The Chain Collaborative (TCC) to support EGM to build a processing and distribution center for quality coffee that will provide farming income to residents of Chaucha and surrounding communities and build job security for women and youth for years to come.

The 2017 JavaJog was made possible by the support of generous sponsors: especially our Platinum Sponsor, Metad and Gold Sponsor, Baratza.  Other sponsors included: Equal Exchange, Cascade (Silver), and Marco, Equator Coffee and InterAmerican Coffee (Bronze).  Sponsorships cover 100% of the costs for the race and a professional race organizer to ensure a high quality experience for the participants.  This way, 100% of race registrations and funds raised can go directly to the JavaJog cause of supporting the efforts of coffee farming women around the world.

More than 120 runners and walkers gathered along the shore of Lake Union on Friday, April 21st for 5K and 10K races. In all, race registrations, individual fundraising efforts (top fundraisers were Elizabeth Goldblatt ($3315), Baratza ($1425) and Kimberly Easson ($900)), and a generous $3000 contribution by Starbucks brought the total amount of funds to be awarded to $18,000.

JavaJog will be providing progress reports on the projects as they get underway.

Thank you everyone for your hard work to make this possible!

Stay tuned for more details about the 2018 Race planned for Seattle Expo!