Would you sell bags of gourmet coffee to your co-workers for a good cause?

It’s not a bad idea. I think some people would definitely buy it since it’s going to a good cause. If you’re really interested in giving back to a charity or organization, I would maybe volunteer your time that way. I’m sure there are a lot of local charities who are always looking for a little help! :o)

You might want to check the company’s policy handbook or ask HR. Some businesses don’t allow soliciting on company property.

That said, I don’t think I’d be able to do this. I’m sure the charity is good and all, but I already try to stay clear from the girl scout cookie salespeople, the parents that are selling their kids’ field trip fundraisers, and those everpresent candle “parties.” I think if those people bought the coffee, I’d feel obligated to dish out on those things in their season. I already feel guilty enough.

I’d be willing to slang some beans for a good cause. It seems like it would be a lot easier and less obtrusive to push than candy bars, wrapping paper, cutting boards, or all those other fun things we’ve bought and sold for kids in school.

You could just leave it on your desk and let people ask about it, brew up a pot for community consumption with a note telling them where they can get some of this nummy coffee for themselves, or stack up the bags in the break room. It seems less “please buy something you never would normally” and more “you buy this crap anyway, how bout doing it for a good cause”...

Regarding the bonus question: I don’t think there’s any special way to ask, but I would be curious about how much the charity is making off the sales. I don’t mind overpaying a bit for something to help, but if the coffee is $10 and only a dollar ends up making it back to charity after costs, it doesn’t seem as compelling. Tell me $5 is going back to something I care about, and I’ll buy all my coffee from them.

I wouldn’t do it, but I think it’s a great idea for someone willing to do all you described above.

I think that’s the key with the coffee – it’s a staple for a lot of people, so it’s not like the candy bars / cookies / etc., which are a special purchase. Brewing a sample pot and ensuring that the “Coffee Heroes” know what portion is going to charity are good suggestions – took notes on both of ‘em.

I do think Laureth has a good point, though – you do open yourself to “I bought you coffee, so you should buy XYZ.” Some people have no problem saying, “But my coffee delicious, and your candles smell like a house of ill repute.” But not everyone feels comfortable doing this.

BTW – The coffee sells for CAN$16 (retail), and costs around CAN$8 (wholesale). So, a good amount actually does go to the charity.

Lurve for “house of ill repute” – A+++, would LOL again!

I wouldn’t do it. As far back as I can remember my parents instilled the Don’t Try to Sell Stuff to Your Co-Workers Theory. Said theory states that co-workers should never, ever be asked to purchase any thing, even girl scout cookies from a ten year-old who is trying desperately to get the patch with three diamonds and finally out sell her friend Patti whose dad is the boss at Lockheed so she gets the ten diamond patch, a t-shirt and a tote bag every year. No, I’m not bitter.

I would however buy some myself and would ask my coffee drinking members of my family and coffee drinking friends to buy their coffee this way and contribute to a good cause.

Also a good point for my notes – coffee is coffee, and it can be sold to friends, family, co-workers, estranged aunts, pets, etc. No need to specifically market it as “Sell to your co-workers!” (although I do think the office business would be brisk).

I buy non-Starbucks locally roasted coffee to support the small businesses in my community (and it’s much better coffee than Starbucks; different type of roasting method.) I personally wouldn’t be interested in it for myself.

We have dozens of charity drives every year but I can only remember on where a colleague dared to do it. Some teachers limit the number of appeals they respond to. My rule is to donate only once to each to the first kid who asks.

The easiest is performance appeals, ie 10 cents a pin bowling, $1 a mile for a walkathon. They are happy just to take a $5 bill and is virtually all to the cause.

If there a death in the community or a natural disaster someone from the Red Cross club will come around and everyone contributes even if just loose change. They usually collect $1,000–3,000 again without administrative costs.

I hate the candy drives becaues the guilt is knowing I am looking forward to them and I am not thinking about any cause but me, The senior classes sold 5 lb buckets of cookie dough for a couple of years then the year they didn’t I actually started to hint to the officers that they should instead of those stupid mugs.

The car washes are good and almost the only times my car is clean.

This year they sold gift cards before Christmas and made between 5–9% profit. This was great because they had cards for stores I go to.

The Boy Scouts here sell really great mulch in the spring, and deliver it. I usually buy 30 bags.

I’d go with the idea laureth had of checking the company policy, first.

I worked in a place where people would send out an email saying they were selling X for their kids’ Y and if you’re interested you can buy at Z’s desk. One email. That’s all. No one would ever going asking in person. This worked out nicely and wasn’t so in-your-face for the people who weren’t interested. But it was nice to always know when Girl Scout Cookie season was and where I could get them.

Alfred: The wholesale coffee for the fundraiser is from a small, local company. Some is fairtrade organic, some is just regular coffee (or high-exploitation, depending on your worldview).

Cookie dough, mulch, greeting cards… all good ideas. We’d probably focus on the coffee to start, but expand to there.

Follow-up question: If you were helping to fundraise, would you appreciate being involved in some of the decisions regarding how to spend the money you raised, or are you just happy to know it’s going to a good cause? Would Coffee Heroes-only benefits (eg. donor appreciation dinners, gift certificates, etc.) be a nice incentive, or would you view the time / effort used to organize these perks as a poor use of the charity’s time?

I think it could be a good idea for people to be able to pick from a few overarching categories of how money is spent (like united way has done in the past), but I wouldn’t get overly involved and nit-picky with that.

I think things like appreciation dinners and gift certificates make me feel like “hey, do you need this money or not?” I don’t want people to turn around and spend money on me if they need it for charity.

Thanks, Cyndy – that was my feeling, as well.