Bears Brew Back
The coffee we serve is single origin, 100% Nicaraguan. And while we’re proud to serve one of the finest cups of coffee you’ll ever enjoy, we’re even more proud to be giving back to the people who grow these great beans.
Bears Brew Back is a philanthropic partnership with Java City Coffee Roasters and is an ongoing, long-term commitment to improve the lives of the people of Nicaragua. For Bears Brew Back, we work with the Global Aldea Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Global Aldea Coffee Cooperative, to identify humanitarian projects in Nicaraguan communities.
Since 2019, we’ve funded clean water storage, filtration and piping projects serving more than 250 families and thousands of students each year in their homes and schools. We have also funded a school kitchen and lunchroom and have provided 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to area children.
Our Projects
Backpack Project
Through generous donations from our franchise community, we were able to send 2,000 backpacks and fill them with essential school supplies for the area’s school children
Well Project
We’re proud to help families in Mancotal, Nicaragua get fresh water to their homes through a new well and piping system.
New Projects Announced!
We’re excited to announce three new projects have been identified for funding through our Bears Brew Back program.
School Lunchroom – La Virgen Community, Jinotega
Currently the community has two 8’ x 8’ rooms for 94 students to accommodate pre-school thru sixth grade classes. Children have to eat meals outside (in rain and sun) and in unsanitary conditions as animals roam the area. Black Bear Diner is funding the construction of a lunchroom so meals can be eaten out of the elements and in a sanitary environment.
Clean Water to Community Homes Pantasma Community, Jinotega
Black Bear Diner is providing funding for the construction of water storage and treatment as well as piping water to 30 homes in the Pantasma Nicaragua community.
Water Filtration System for Schools Surrounding La Virgen, Jinotega
Black Bear Diner is funding a water filtration pilot program to provide clean water to area schools. Currently, all clean water projects focus on residential homes, leaving children exposed to unclean water while they are at school.
Our Partners
Global Aldea Cooperative
Founded in 1992, Global Aldea is a farming cooperative that brings together over 3,000 northern Nicaraguan coffee farmers, 40% of whom are women.
Our story started in 1985 when we began hand roasting the world’s finest coffees in an old brick building in downtown Sacramento. If you’ve noticed our coffees are smoother tasting than most, it’s not by accident. Our beans are carefully roasted using authentic Italian bricklined roasters that provide radiant heat, allowing a slower, longer roast. We know our way takes more time, but we wouldn’t dare change a thing. Read More
How You Can Help
Purchase some of our single origin, 100% Nicaraguan coffee and all profits from the sale of the coffee goes to fund our Bears Brew Back initiatives. Click below to order a bag (or bags) from the Java City Coffee Roasters online retail store.
Information and Updates
Mancotal Well & Piping Project Update
June 2019
We are incredibly excited, and incredibly proud, to announce to completion of our first Bears Brew Back project in Mancotal Nicaragua. The well, pump house and piping system providing clean water to 40 homes and a community school is complete.
bears brew back posting fence post
bears brew back posting fence post
bears brew back posting fence post
man posting fence post
man posting fence post
man digging post hole
man digging post hole
fence around tank
digging post hole
man digging
building fence
new fence post
new fence
posting fence post
men digging
fence around tank
man posting fence post
group photo with mountains and full rainbow in background
group photo with mountains and rainbow in background
Large orange truck next to buildings
guy carrying large back of coffee beans next to tall stacks of bags
Smiling Group Photo Next To Tall Coffee Bean Stack
man reading paper
man looking at bags of coffee
man tasting coffee with a spoon
man smelling multiple dishes of coffee
man smelling coffee
man pouring coffee into small bowls
lady pouring coffee into dishes
people getting ready to sample coffee beans
coffee beans in a tray
person explaining coffee beans
three people looking at the coffee beans
coffee beans with a hand moving them around
people looking at coffee beans
people looking at and smelling coffee beans
group photo with Aldea
people in a meeting around a table looking at a presentation
Man and small girl smiling next to flowers for sale
image of fresh vegetables in crates
three women smiling next to bins of flowers.
Exterior view of Sajonia Estate Coffee with two team members
Exterior view of Sajonia Estate Coffee
Java City boxes ready to be packed
top view of boxes getting sealed up after being packed.
Team member smiling while carrying a full Java City box
team member with a packed box getting ready to seal
Team member smiling with a tape dispenser in his hand
Bob with Java City backpacks
Team members packing full backpacks into boxes for shipping
Letter that was in each backpack the team stuffed
two team members putting notebooks into backpacks
box of pencil sharpeners
3 Black Bear Diner team members smiling
stacks of crayons
big pile of erasers
large stacks of notebooks on a table
team member unpacking notebooks
two team members smiling while filling the backpacks
image of graphic on the backpacks that were donated
lots of team members breaking down empty boxes
Team members in assembly line for putting items in the backpacks
Team members in assembly line putting pens in the backpacks
Team members putting backpacks into Java City boxes
Team members putting Java City boxes together
the side of a Java City box
two team members putting notebooks in backpacks
team members putting notebooks in backpacks
Team members unloading items for packing backpacks
lots of empty Java City boxes ready to be packed
two team members breaking down boxes
two team members sealing up boxes
bears brew back posting fence post
Backpack Project Update
May 2019
During our Annual Managers’ Conference we stuff another 1,000 backpacks with essential school supplies, brining our total sent to Nicaragua to 2,000. Thank you to all our managers from 130 diners who helped in this amazing project.
Did You Know?
Small Nicaraguan coffee farmers grow our Black Bear Diner blend with our delicious single origin 100% Nicaraguan coffee.
Nicaragua Fact
Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, behind only Haiti. 42.5% of Nicaraguans live below the poverty line, surviving on less than $1 per day. 75.8% of the population lives on less than $2 per day.
Have Questions?
Send us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.