Eight Austin Coffee Shops Participating In Weekend ACLU Fundraiser

AUSTIN, TX — Several local coffee shops are participating in a fundraiser this weekend for the American Civil Liberties Union, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has reportedly received a record number of donations since Donald Trump's executive order banning travel for people from some predominantly Muslim countries.

The fundraiser is being organized by Sprudge, a publication focusing on coffee, the Austin360 blog, operated by the Austin American-Statesman, reported. The Austin coffee shops participating are: Caffe Medici; Epoch Coffee; Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors; Fleet Coffee Co.; Houndstooth Coffee; Once Over Coffee Bar; Vintage Heart Coffee; and Wright Bros. Brew & Brew.

Participating coffee shops started donating a portion of their proceeds to the ACLU in a campaign that will run through Sunday. Additionally, Sprudge officials said the publication will match the first $500 that each of participant raises.

“We are honored to be a part of a nationwide fundraiser for the ACLU this weekend, February 3-5,” Fleet Coffee officials wrote on Instagram, noting that 20 percent of the weekend's take will be donated to the cause. A jar will be on hand for related donations, officials said.

Some coffee shops will put their own twist on the fundraising campaign, as the blog noted. Cafe Medici is donating 20 percent of sales from its five area coffee shops to Refugee Services of Texas-Austin. Houndstooth will match the first $1,000 in donations at each of its shop in Austin and Dallas. In East Austin, Brew & Brew will promote sales of its filter or iced coffee as those benefiting the ACLU. On East 7th Street, Vintage Heart will donate 5 percent of proceeds to the cause.

All told, more than 175 coffee brands and 400-plus coffee shops across the U.S. have signed on as participants to the weekend fundraiser.

The ACLU describes its mission as one intended "...to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It has more than 750,000 members with an annual budget of more than $100 million.

Participating coffee shops in Austin and their addresses are:

• Caffe Medici, with its five locations at 804 Congress Avenue at 8th Street; the South Lamar location at 1100 South Lamar Boulevard; at the Austonian, 200 Congress Ave.; at 2222B Guadalupe St.; and at 1101 West Lynn.
• Epoch Coffee at 221 West North Loop Blvd. and 2700 W. Anderson Lane.
• Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors at 1111 Chicon St.
• Fleet Coffee Co., 2427 Webberville Rd.
• Houndstooth Coffee, with two locations at 4200 N. Lamar Blvd. and its downtown store at 401 Congress Ave.
• Once Over Coffee Bar, 2009 S 1st St.
• Vintage Heart Coffee, 1405 E 7th St.
• Wright Bros. Brew & Brew. 500 San Marcos St.

>>> Read the full story at Austin360

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