New York Coffee Drinkers Raised $64K For The ACLU

NEW YORK, NY — New York coffee shops that participated in a weekend-long fundraiser for the ACLU raised more than $64,000 in three days, according to the fundraiser's organizers.

The nationwide fundraiser was initiated by the coffee blog Sprudge, and drew more than 515 chains across the country. In New York City alone, 37 different chains participated, each committing to donating a portion of their business from Feb. 3-5. Most shops donated 5% of either drip coffee purchases or of all purchases from that weekend, but some shops crafted their own donation plans. Many cafes also had donation jars out during the weekend so customers could give directly to the ACLU. In addition to what individual coffee chains raised, Sprudge promised to match the first $500 raised by each company

A spokesman for Sprudge said the company was still waiting on data from 60 of the participating companies, but that so far, the fundraiser brought in $450,133.17 for the ACLU. Cafes in New York raised at least $64,172.60, according to the most recent data.

Everyman Espresso, one of the dozens of Manhattan coffee shops that participated in the fundraiser, said it raised $1,337. Everyman donated 5% of its proceeds to the civil liberties nonprofit.

It's a way of saying "immigrants are welcome here," Sam Penix, the owner of Everyman Espresso, told NPR.

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