Artesano Coffee in Kirkland helps customer fund trip to Africa | Letter

I commute to Bellevue each day and rather than stay on Interstate 405, I continue to go out of my way to visit Artesano Coffee Company at 1431 Market Street

April 24, 2013 5:52 pm
A marquee at Artesano Coffee Company in Kirkland says the community rallied and helped the coffee company raise more than $500 to help fund a customer's trip to Africa.
A marquee at Artesano Coffee Company in Kirkland says the community rallied and helped the coffee company raise more than $500 to help fund a customer's trip to Africa.

I lived in Kirkland for 20 years until I moved to Snohomish last October.

I commute to Bellevue each day and rather than stay on Interstate 405, I continue to go out of my way to visit Artesano Coffee Company at 1431 Market Street (outside Dooley’s Dog House) because not only do they have good coffee but, more importantly, I had built a morning ritual type friendship with Sarah, their incredibly sweet barista.

Recently, I mentioned to Sarah that I am going to Uganda for three weeks in July on a humanitarian trip with a nonprofit dental organization called For World Wide Smiles.

She was excited for me and took it upon herself to collect and donate all of her tips for one day to support my trip to Africa. She advertised to her customers via her tip jar and set a goal of $180 dollars on April 16.

Due to the generosity of her customers, she collected (in one day) $274.30 for my trip. When Phil and Rosanna of Artesano Coffee Company heard what Sarah was doing to support my trip, they matched the customer tips for a total donation of $548.60.

We don’t get to hear all of the good news very often, but the generosity they have shown is truly amazing.

Sandy Harms, Snohomish