Coffee donation perks up Air Force mission

  • Published
  • By the Services Marketing Department
  • 100th Services Squadron
A wide variety of companies make donations to the Air Force every year. But May 23, the 100th Services Squadron received its largest donation to date when a coffee company provided 32 pallets of coffee, with a retail value of more than $300,000. 

San Francisco Bay based Rogers Family Coffee Company, which has a division located in the United Kingdom, recently redesigned its packaging for the British market and therefore, had coffee in obsolete packaging they were unable to sell. 

After an executive meeting, company manager Richard Clark contacted the U.S. Embassy in London to ask about donating the coffee to American troops in England. 

Lt. Col. Robert Letourneau, Logistics Plans and Agreements chief, fielded the company's question and approached the United Services Organization. The USO couldn't accept the donation due to previous obligations with another coffee company. 

So Colonel Letourneau called Mike Fitzmaurice, 100th Services Squadron deputy commander, who enthusiastically responded, "We'll take it!" 

Katie Johnson, 100th SVS Marketing Department commercial sponsorship coordinator, worked with the company to draft the paperwork to accept the donation, arrange for delivery, and to find units interesting in receiving the coffee. 

"After speaking with Mr. Clark, I quickly realized that the sheer quantity and retail value of the proposed coffee donation was well beyond the threshold that even the United States Air Forces in Europe Commander was able to approve," she said. "In fact, the approval documentation had to go all the way to Mr. Art Myers at Air Force Services for final approval." 

Once everything was approved and sorted out, the delivery arrived on two semi trucks loaded with a variety of different flavors; including regular, decaffeinated and organic. 

"Since the donation was delivered, units from as far as 100 miles away have picked up their share of coffee," Ms. Johnson said. "We're also sending coffee to our deployed troops serving in deployed locations around the world." 

As a thank you to the Rogers Family Coffee Company, the 100th SVS is gathering coins from each unit that receives a portion of the donation and will incorporate the coins into a plaque to present to the company. 

"Helping to coordinate this donation was an incredible experience for me, and everyone involved has been enthusiastic about 'making it happen,'" Ms. Johnson said. "It's also gratifying to know that American military members, serving their country so far away from family and friends, will be able to enjoy a little taste of home." 

Ms. Johnson said the donation also has added another perk to her job. 

"Every time I meet people at the warehouse to pick up coffee, I'm think, 'Man does this building smell good!'" she said. 

Editor's note: Units interested in taking some of the coffee should contact Michael J. Fitzmaurice, 100th SVS deputy commander, at 238-3138. Units should remember to bring a squadron coin when they pickup their coffee.