If you love your coffee, you're in good hands. Around the world, more than 2 billion cups are consumed every day. And it's more than a delicious wake-me-up — coffee is at the center of gatherings after Sunday worship and a constant at your weekly quilting meetings.
But behind every cup is a farmer — and many of them are among our poorest neighbors, facing unpredictable weather, unstable prices and hungry families.
Here's the good news: the coffee you choose can change lives and even lift up entire communities. National Coffee Day is September 29, and to mark the occasion, we're taking a deeper dive into your morning brew.
Here are five things worth knowing about your coffee — and how your choice helps farming families build brighter futures.
Bonus: Read to the end for a special offer from LWR Farmers Market Coffee!
1. COFFEE IS BIG BUSINESS — JUST NOT FOR FARMERS
Farmers in Indonesia like Rosanna Br Ginting are learning regenerative agricultural practices that grow higher-quality — and higher-earning — coffee. (Jjumba Martin for LWR)
The U.S. coffee market alone is worth an estimated $118 billion. But most of the 12.5 million coffee farmers see only about 10% of the final retail price of their coffee, with an estimated 44% of these neighbors living in poverty.
The work is grueling with ever-growing challenges: volatile weather, increased expenses, limited access to markets and each year, the growing season narrows.
Because of you: LWR has been walking alongside coffee-growing communities since 1988 — helping farmers build stronger livelihoods, care for their land and create a more hopeful future for their families.
2. LOW PRICES PUSH FAMILIES INTO CRISIS
Coffee prices swing wildly. When they do, our farming neighbors feel it first. Many of our neighbors face what they call "the lean season" — the stretch between selling one harvest and bringing in the next. During these thin months, families eat less, borrow money and slide deeper into debt.
In fact, once adjusted for inflation, most coffee farmers earn less than they did 40 years ago.
Because of you: Coffee farmers are learning practical, sustainable methods to produce stronger, more resilient crops, create reliable food sources and earn higher incomes. Which means even in harder seasons, our neighbors can provide for their families and invest in their futures.
3. REAL FAIRNESS TREATS FARMERS AS PARTNERS
In Honduras, farmer Bessy Cabrera Vasquez is confident her son will have a better future because of the training your love has provided.
Coffee changes hands many times before it reaches your cup, and each step takes a share of its value. After harvesting, beans are processed, dried, milled, sorted, bagged, shipped, roasted, packaged and distributed. Real fairness starts with treating farmers as partners in the work, not just suppliers at the beginning of a long chain.
Because of you: Farmers are gaining the skills to improve the quality of their coffee and demand higher prices. They are learning how to perform more of the production steps that follow harvesting coffee, as well as how to improve bargaining power and access global and specialty markets they couldn't before.
4. UGANDA'S MOUNT ELGON SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE
A proud farmer holds up his final product at Mountain Harvest's annual meeting in Uganda.
On the slopes of Mt. Elgon in Uganda, small-scale coffee farmers are proving that fair pricing isn't just a hope — it's happening. At the heart of that change is Mountain Harvest — a coffee business and social enterprise built through your compassion. And their impact extends far beyond the lives and livelihoods of its 600+ farmers. Mountain Harvest is reshaping Uganda's entire coffee industry.
Because of you: Ugandan farmers are learning to grow specialty-grade beans that earn higher prices — and they share in the profits when the coffee sells. Mountain Harvest also tackles a hidden barrier for farmers: credit. Many farmers can't get fair loans, so they borrow from lenders at steep rates. With fair terms, farmers can invest back into their farm, create security for their families and weather hard seasons.
5. YOUR CUP CAN BREAK THE CYCLE
Fair pricing is a global challenge, but the solution can start here at home. When you share your love through LWR, you're already making a transformative difference. Here's a few other simple habits that can make a true difference:
- Know where your coffee comes from. Check the label. If you can't tell who grew it, it may not be helping farmers escape poverty.
- Speak up! If you frequent a café regularly, ask whether they offer coffee that supports fair pricing. Customer feedback makes a huge difference.
- Choose coffee that pays farmers well. Every purchase of LWR Farmers Market Coffee supports the farming families who grow it— turning your daily ritual into a force for good.
CELEBRATE NATIONAL COFFEE DAY WITH PURPOSE
Rommel Melghem, a trained coffee cupper in Honduras, helps farmers improve quality and flavor so they can produce specialty-grade coffee that earns stronger prices.
Now that you know the story behind your cup, it's time to have one! National Coffee Day is September 29. Why not celebrate with coffee that fuels lasting change?
LWR Farmers Market Coffee comes straight from farmers we partner with in Uganda, Honduras and Peru. Every bag you buy provides these neighbors with a fair price, a share of the profit, and the ability to lift their families out of poverty.
So, the next time you pour yourself a cup, you'll also be pouring a little love into someone else's future.
Thank you for sharing your faithful support with those in need around the world.