Bear Grounds Coffee Co., a recently approved 501(c)3 nonprofit, is dedicated to preserving bear populations worldwide. Established as a charity in November 2023, Bear Grounds reflects on its inaugural year, celebrating how a love for coffee and bear conservation can work hand in hand. From publishing an educational children’s book to launching its first batch of “conservation coffee,” the organization has already made significant strides. Join us as we look back on our accomplishments and look forward to the future of bear conservation.
Contents:
- Bear Conservation: The Mission
- First Year Accomplishments
- Children’s Book: All About Bears
- Polar Bear: First Batch of Conservation Coffee
- Our First Grant
- The Next Steps
- Stay Connected
Bear Conservation: The Mission
At Bear Grounds Coffee Co., our mission is simple: to conserve bear populations worldwide and to educate the public on how to be “bear-aware.” There are 8 different species of bear globally and many are endangered. But where does coffee come in?
Understanding that bears are apex predators and that it could be challenging to raise funds for this animal rather than something harmless like, let’s say a rabbit, Jessica Berry added in something many Americans also love – coffee. But not just any coffee: Grade 1, specialty, whole bean coffee roasted to perfection.
Learn more about how Bear Grounds Coffee Co. was first conceptualized and how we came to life here:
The Founding Board Members of this organization were around during the establishment of the corporation in July of 2023. In the beginning of 2024 we would hire on two more additional board members, Scott Tindall (Treasurer) and Stephanie Wood. Learn more about our Board of Directors here.
First-Year Accomplishments:
Children’s Book: All About Bears
All About Bears is Bear Grounds Coffee Co.‘s original children’s book. It is colorful and eye-catching. It educates the youth on the eight species of bear, fun facts and where they live geographically. The Board of Directors came together to look over, edit and approve the final draft. It was officially published on April 1st of 2024.
This book served as the organization’s first step toward our goal of spreading “bear-awareness.” By teaching the youth at a young age to care about these creatures we can slowly but surely make a difference. The book also teaches children what to do in the case that they encounter one in the wild.
Our organization also created various print-on-demand products in light of the imagery provided in this work for people to enjoy. For instance, stickers, holographic stickers, prints and even baby swaddle blankets in the colors ombre pink/blue and solid mint (featured below.)
Bear Grounds Coffee Co. donated multiple copies of All About Bears around Brevard County. You can find this work at Oak Park & Mims Elementary Schools, the Indian River City Church and The Grove Church. By providing copies to these organizations it allows kids of all ages to have access to this knowledge and create a greater impact.
Polar Bear: First Batch of Conservation Coffee
A main component of our nonprofit’s structure went from sketches on pen and paper to real life. We worked with a coffee bag manufacturer within the United States of America to produce a general bag for different beans. Our debut specialty coffee was the Polar Bear, which was available for purchase starting in August of 2024.
All profits on our coffee – and any merchandise for that matter, go back to our mission of conserving bears. Our Board Member Megan Shields played an integral role in testing different beans until she found the perfect one, as well as roasting, packaging and shipping them.
Our First Grant
Bear Grounds Coffee Co. would like to give a big thank you to The Pollination Project for believing in us. It can be extremely difficult for new 501(c)3’s to get grant funding, so it means the world to us. This gift will be used to assist in the upfront costs of the Polar Bear coffee so that the actual profits can go back to the bears as much as possible. We were awarded this in September of 2024.
The Next Steps
Going forward our mission is clear: to continue to sell coffee, fundraise and spread awareness while saving up for the Bear Grounds Reserve – our first reserve in the state of Alaska. This is the only state in the U.S.A. that houses 3/8 species of bear: polar, grizzly/brown and black. Until then, our job is to spread the word, love and appreciation as much as possible, so come join the bear family and bring your friends!
Stay Connected
Thank you to everyone who has followed us, worked with us or purchased/donated to us within this last trip around the Sun. We can’t wait to show you our results next year. In the meantime, follow us on your preferred platforms to keep in touch with every move we make:
And don’t forget to subscribe to The Bear Claw as well to never miss BIG updates!
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