What is Suspended Coffees? 

It is a movement that calls on people to do an act of kindness; it’s not for profit and is based on trust. The idea is that you buy one coffee for yourself and one for someone in need.

This social effort started in Naples, Italy, under the name Caffè Sospeso, and thanks to social media is now supported by coffee shops around the world.

Would you like to add your business to this initiative?

We’re looking for businesses that offer coffee and are interested in joining this movement of solidarity. You just have to complete a short form so we can publish it on the list of participating businesses. You will receive more information by email.

Why in Puerto Rico?

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when we can replicate existing initiatives of solidarity and kindness. In our case, we want to join other countries such as Italy, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, among others, that have implemented Suspended Coffees successfully and to call on the Puerto Rican community to do a generous, simple, low-cost act of kindness.

What is Iniciativa Comunitaria’s contribution to this idea?

We want to act as the unifying force of this idea in Puerto Rico. As we mobilized to introduce Suspended Coffees, we came across other local efforts already offering suspended coffees. As a community-based organization, our interest is to consolidate all efforts, add more businesses to the initiative and expand the reach. We also want to be able to promote the initiative with a unique look-and-feel by providing participating businesses with promotional material to advertise and inform clients and the general public about Suspended Coffees offering.

Para conocer la lista de negocios participantes de Café Pendiente accede aquí.

How it works?

Each participating business will have a Suspended Coffees logo and flyer at its entrance or other visible place that easily identifies the store as being part of this initiative. At Iniciativa Comunitaria’s headquarters we have promotional material available for businesses that sign up. We are located at #61 Quisqueya Street, corner of Chile Street in Hato Rey, near Popular Center in the “Milla de Oro”.

You must visit our headquarters to obtain the promotional kit. If you are unable to do so, we can mail it to your postal address or send the material by email so you can print it and display it accordingly.

We recommend you place a blackboard or whiteboard in a visible spot of your business and indicate the number of unclaimed and handed suspended coffees.

We ask participating businesses to faithfully commit to handing the suspended coffees. The control is in your hands, not ours, so you are responsible of accounting for every suspended coffee that is paid for and handed.

Who is the audience of this initiative?

This initiative is for anyone in need of a coffee and cannot afford it. It is not exclusively for homeless persons. The intended purpose is to create a new practice when the time to pay the tab comes:  THINK OF OTHERS.

This action is not about pity, but an example of giving without judgment, creating a connection between people that don’t know each other but take each other into account. Ultimately, we wish to see this practice awaken love and trust between people.

It is very important that participating businesses appreciate the different types of people that will arrive on location requesting a Suspended Coffee – from a homeless person to a student or someone who appear to be in better economic conditions. It is not up to us to judge who is in need. Everyone has the right to receive a Suspended Coffee if requested.

Who can participate?

1. Any type of gastronomic business that serves coffee (restaurants, bars, eateries).
2. Any person that can afford and want to pay for a Suspended Coffee.

How do I find out where to go?

You can go to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/CaféPendientePR or to our website www.iniciativacomunitaria.org to find the list of participating businesses. You can also find the list at hospitals, churches and eateries.

How can you help us expand the reach of Suspended Coffees?

1. Contact us to pick up promotional material.
2. Spread the word about this initiative to other businesses that serve coffee.
3. Take the list of participating businesses to hospitals, churches and eateries.
4. Click LIKE on our Facebook page so we can keep you updated with what’s happening.

Know that…

• This is a project based on solidarity and trust.
• Each business is responsible for designing its own dissemination strategy to inform clients about Suspended Coffees’ offering.
• Each business is free to develop its own rules or restrictions, as long as it communicates them accordingly to its customers and complies with the commitment of solidarity accepted. For example: the Suspended Coffee will be distributed during predetermined hours.
• If you notice a careless act, contact us through our Facebook page www.facebook.com/CaféPendientePR or by email at info@iniciativacomunitaria.org
• If you decide to end your participation, please send us an email to info@iniciativacomunitaria.org. We will delete the name of your business from the participating businesses list and you must withdraw all Suspended Coffees promo material from your establishment.

NOTE: The descriptive information herein was taken from the websites of Suspended Coffees Argentina and Mexico. A big thanks to Sol Verdiere, the driver of this effort in Argentina and the creator of the campaign’s cup and heart logo design, as well as to Fabiola Kun, coordinator of Suspended Coffee Mexico. Our gratitude also goes out to Sandra Rodriguez from the graphic design firm Hechizos Gráficos, for customizing the campaign design for Puerto Rico.