"Fire Department Coffee" donating proceeds from coffee and shirt sales to benefit Northern Colorado firefighters in need
A coffee company founded by a former firefighter is teaming up with Poudre Fire Authority to help firefighters during personal times in need.
"Fire Department Coffee" is donating $2 from every bag of specialty blends they sell during the month of April and $5 from every commemorative shirt, back to the union fund benefiting PFA firefighters.
The donations will go toward the union representing PFA, which will help firefighters and their families during times of need away from work.
Firefighters with PFA, which predominantly serves Fort Collins, have long relied on the fund to help during difficult times at home.
Engineer Bill Greenwood has been a firefighter with PFA for more than two decades. During that time he has responded to countless emergencies and calls for help.
"We respond to people on their worst day," Greenwood said.
But never could he have predicted that his family would be the ones needing help from the community.
More than 15 years ago, his young family found themselves on the other end of an emergency.
"We experienced a traumatic and tragic event at home with our family," Greenwood said. "We had to fight for the life of our son from our home to two different hospitals."
Tragically Greenwood's son, Nicholas, passed away.
While the family was navigating the traumas and difficulties that come with such a sudden loss, the firefighter union came together to support them in a time of need.
"(We had) lots of bills, lots of needs," Greenwood said. "Within an hour or so (a union member) was writing us a check to cover some bills. It was a huge blessing for us."
It is stories like Greenwood's that prove why these funds are needed for the firefighters and their loved ones.
"The proceeds come directly back to the firefighters and benefit them and their families," said Derek Bergsten, chief of PFA.
That is why Bergsten agreed to partner with Fire Department Coffee to try and raise more funds for his firefighters.
He said this was an important and easy way for the community to be able to give back to the firefighters who are always on-call to help them.
"(The community) gets to give back to an organization that serves the community," Bergsten said.
The design of the shirts being sold pays tribute to the firefighters and the communities they serve. It features a ram riding a raft down the Poudre River while wearing a firefighter uniform.
"We protect the Poudre River and all the citizens that encompass there, and then the fire service. What we do, on a daily basis, delivers that high level of service to our community."
Those interested in learning more about the effort, or purchasing some of the products that benefit PFA, can visit FireDeptCoffee.com
"It just makes people feel good to give back to the people that are helping them. When we can all come tougher at a community like that, and all play a part one bag of coffee or a t-shirt at a time, they're going to add up and make someone's bad day a lot better," Greenwood said.
