Refuge Coffee

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Project UNHoused

Semper Fi Heating and Cooling Catholic Charities American Legion Posts in Arizona are teaming up to assist veterans who are homeless in Arizona by creating “Project UNHoused,” which will market and sell The Refuge brand coffee and donate the proceeds to assist homeless veterans at Catholic Charities MANA House.

Catholic Charities Catholic Charities MANA (Marine Army, Navy and Air Force) House in Phoenix, provides transitional housing and intensive case management for up to 76 veterans experiencing homelessness. Services include assisting veterans in finding employment, connecting them with VA benefits and medical care, providing resources for mental and behavioral assistance, and helping residents locate affordable housing.

Semper Fi Heating and Cooling has joined forces with MANA House and American Legion Posts to pool their knowledge, resources and expertise for Project UNHoused. “We have used the Girl Scout Cookie sales and The Home Boys Tortilla Company of Los Angeles as models for the development of our coalition. Both of these companies have multimillion-dollar annual sales to support their organizational goals.” said Semper Fi Heating and Cooling.

This unique program will sell freshly ground and roasted, The Refuge coffee, which was initially developed by Catholic Charities to serve at its former Refuge Café more than 10 years ago. The coffee is now roasted and packaged onsite at MANA House.

Semper Fi will market the coffee and the American Legion will sell and distribute coffee to its membership.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Semper Fi and the American Legion Posts in Arizona. Our veterans deserve the best after serving our country. Proceeds from coffee sales will help provide household supplies, hygiene items, clothing, and more for our veterans who successfully exit the program into affordable housing and need to set up their new home,” said Wendy Owens of Catholic Charities Community Services.

Commander David Melka of American Legion Post 91 said “Coffee was a staple in our military careers and still is. Project UNHoused provides an opportunity to develop a financial entity to support our current needs. Everyone drinks coffee.”