Hello friends! 

My name is Arianna Hunter, and I am the founder of before coffee and author of Don't villainize overhead costs for charities this giving Tuesday, as published in the Toronto Star.

For the last two years, I have wholly dedicated myself to developing the business plan for a social enterprise that I genuinely believe will make an impact, and saving my pennies to fund it. 

I (perhaps naively) believe that we all want to do good, but I also know that our world makes it challenging. As an employee, you may have had to make a significant financial sacrifice to work for a cause in which you believe. As a mission-driven organization, you probably spend as much time convincing people of the worthiness of your work as you do actually getting to do it. So, I wanted to create an organization that makes doing good easy; one which harnesses this wonderful energy that we all have and applies it in a way that is truly impactful. 

before coffee is a coffeehouse that empowers the people and the organizations actively working towards making our world a better place. by donating a portion of our revenue to the overhead expenses of a local featured charity or non-profit, our customers can give back with something as simple as their morning coffee, and we can change the way people think about overhead. (check out my article, or click here to learn why this needs to change)

before coffee is also an opportunity to show our community that a business can thrive without being a detriment to our people and our planet. From our suppliers like Propeller Coffee Co. (a B-Corp Toronto roaster) to our commitment to hire individuals faced by barriers to employment, we ensure that in every way our organization interacts with the world, it does the right thing and creates a positive impact. 

Presently, before coffee is about $57k in start-up costs and perhaps a lockdown or two away from opening our doors in Toronto and supporting the non-profit and charitable community. Unemployed (due to COVID-19) and unable to open my shop, I wrote the Toronto Star article in an attempt to do something for this cause in which I believe wholeheartedly. A peer of mine kindly shared the article and helped it reach many and I could've never imagined the response that it received. While I have been bootstrappin' my way to making this dream come true, many have reached out to graciously support this endeavor, and as such, my peer requested I launch this campaign. 

I appreciate that there are a plethora of causes, businesses, and charities which deserve our attention and funding right now. So, I would like to make clear that this campaign is simply an opportunity for those who are eager and have the means to help us open our doors sooner. All donations will go to the start-up costs of before coffee. The $10,000 goal is a reflection of the minimum contribution I anticipated I would personally saved this year, had it not been ...well, this year.  

Even if you only have a dollar to give, your donation is a vote of confidence for this organization and this dream of mine, and for that I am eternally grateful (seriously, I am tearing up as I type this). 

I have a vision of the world where the most celebrated and supported individuals and organizations are the ones that are making the world a better place. You can help me bring this vision to life :) 

If you are interested in learning more, I just launched www.beforecoffee.ca with plenty of information on what we aspire to do.  I am also happy to provide further details on my business plan and start-up figures. Please do not hesitate to reach out to arianna@beforecoffee.ca.