Press Release: SCA Re-Ups Support

SCA RENEWS ITS SUPPORT FOR GROUNDS FOR HEALTH
Specialty coffee community continues its commitment to prevent cervical cancer in the coffeelands

September 2019 – Grounds for Health, an international non-profit health organization headquartered in Williston, Vermont, is pleased to announce the renewal of its strategic partnership agreement with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). A previous three-year agreement with the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) was instrumental in enabling Grounds for Health to expand its cervical cancer prevention programs into Nyeri County, Kenya.

“While delicious, high-quality coffee is more accessible to coffee drinkers in more parts of the world than ever before, many coffee producers still struggle to meet their basic needs,” notes Kim Elena Ionescu, Chief Sustainability Officer for SCA. “The SCA is proud to support Grounds for Health and their work to reach members of the specialty coffee community with life-saving health care.”

Bringing preventive health care to underserved communities is an important step in protecting the quality of life of women who work in coffee and live in some of the most remote coffee regions. Over the next two years, the organizations will collaborate on work in East Africa that builds sustainable, healthy, and durable origin communities.

“We couldn’t be more pleased,” stated Ellen Starr, Executive Director of Grounds for Health. “This multi-year commitment from our long-time partners at SCA creates the opportunity to ensure a healthy future for even more women in the coffeelands.”

About Grounds for Health:

Grounds for Health trains and equips local health professionals to screen and treat cervical pre-cancer and helps them develop a sustainable program in their communities to keep women healthy and stop cervical cancer deaths. Working primarily in low resource areas of the coffeelands, Grounds for Health has developed programs in Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Tanzania, and currently has programs in Kenya and Ethiopia.

About the Specialty Coffee Association:

The Specialty Coffee Association is a nonprofit, membership-based organization that represents thousands of coffee professionals – from farmers to baristas – all over the world. Built on foundations of openness, inclusivity, and the power of shared knowledge, SCA is committed to furthering work that makes coffee a thriving, equitable, and sustainable activity for the entire value chain. For more information, visit https://sca.coffee.