According to Tori Heil, board chair of a dog rescue organization called Proverbs 12:10, the Southeast portion of the United States has the worst case of pet overpopulation in America. That also means they have the highest rate of pet euthanasia in the country. One major reason for this epidemic in the area is because there are fewer laws in the southeastern U.S. that require pet parents to spay or neuter their animals.
That’s why Jordan Karcher chose Tennessee as the home of his new business. When referring to Nashville, Karcher said, “I think [Nashville] is the hub that could become the beacon of animal rescue in the southeast.” Nashville is the home of Grounds and Hounds Coffee, Karcher’s company that donates a portion of its profits to rescue shelters around the U.S., saving thousands of adoptable dogs from being euthanized due to overpopulation.
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If you order coffee from Grounds and Hounds, 20% of the proceeds from your order will be donated to the Grounds and Hounds rescue partner that is located closest to you. The company strives to support organizations located in their customers’ communities. As a consumer, I like this approach. Instead of donating my money to a large national operation (which is equally as wonderful) my money would be used to help animals in my local community.
Proverbs 12:10 is Grounds and Hounds local partner, along with the Nashville Human Association and Agape. Proverbs works to place about 1,000 dogs in homes each year. Many of these canines need medical attention and would be put down if Proverbs did not step in to help.
Grounds and Hounds purchases their coffee beans from fair trade cooperatives located mostly in Central and South America. Their green coffee is 100% Fair Trade and Organic certified. The business began in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2014, and their coffee is still roasted there even though the business itself has moved to Tennessee. Grounds and Hounds is available in many large and small grocery stores in the U.S., and they have about 45 shelter and rescue partners around the country.
I’m a coffee drinker, in fact most days I’m not sure that I could function without a few cups of the caffeinated deliciousness. As all coffee drinkers know, every blend of beans tastes a little different. Providing that Hounds and Grounds Coffee is tasty, I think I’ll be switching coffee brands. You can purchase 6 ounce samples of each blend for $9.00, which would help you identify your favorite flavor before having to spend $14.00 on a pound of whole beans or ground coffee.
$14.00 may sound like a lot for a pound of coffee, but remember that it is Fair Trade and Organic Certified. You won’t be able to find a pound of organic gourmet coffee in any store for less than that, and if you place an order of more than $40.00 you’ll get free shipping. I typically buy a few pounds of coffee at a time and freeze the extra so I don’t have to purchase it every time I go to the store. A deal like this would work out well for anyone like me.
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Hounds and Grounds offers a great way for people to give back to animals in need without changing their daily lifestyle. You already buy and drink coffee, so why not just switch the brand you buy and have some of your money go to help shelter animals? I’ve noticed that there are a growing number of companies who are focusing on charitable contributions lately.
It’s always a nice gesture, but sometimes you just may not need the product. For example, if a company that makes dog kennels will be donating part of their proceeds to charity, that’s great, but they probably don’t have a lot of regular customers as dog kennels usually last a long time. Marketing something disposable, like coffee, is a great idea because you’ll have regular customers coming back each week. The company will ultimately be able to donate much more money to the good cause they partner with.
