Eric Dobbs of Seven Seas (center) with One Love Coffee executives. All photos courtesy of Seven Seas Foundation.
A San Diego-based coffee roasting company Baking in the Seven Seas helps raise money for a Ukrainian coffee company that provides meals and a hospitable environment to those affected by the ongoing war with Russia.
Seven Seas and its CEO Eric Dobbs helped raise just over $10,000 for Kyiv-based coffee roaster One Love Coffee (Link to Instagram) last year, personally delivering the donation along with key medical supplies.
Dobbs, a U.S. Navy veteran, said a visit to One Love and its owner, Volodymyr Zadiraka, last fall left a lasting impression on him personally and led to the creation of a 501c3 nonprofit called Seven Seas Foundation to provide further support to the One Love Foundation, its staff and six locations across the Ukrainian city.
At the One Love cafe in Kiev.
In a recent statement shared with DCN, Dobbs said One Love is currently at risk of closing due to lack of funding as the company struggles to pay staff salaries and rent while delivering 900 meals a day and supplies to hospital workers, first responders and others in need due to the war.
“This would completely devastate the soldiers, the community and the families in Kyiv,” Dobbs said. “Not only would the 900 first responders and soldiers no longer be fed, but the families and the community would no longer have a place to experience true connection through coffee and food. It would force many more families into direct contact with the war.”
One Love Coffee Roastery in Kiev, Ukraine.
The Seven Seas Foundation is currently seeking to raise $75,000 through direct donations and sponsorships to cover One Love’s operating costs, equipment maintenance, staff salaries, vital supplies, and to launch an SCA-certified school to be led by renowned coffee expert and Q Grader, Sam Choi.
“Sponsorship and financial support for One Love Coffee Shop helps with its survival, as well as sending a powerful message of solidarity to the resilient people of Ukraine,” Seven Seas said. “It symbolizes an unwavering commitment to rebuilding and revitalizing the community, ultimately providing hope for a brighter future.”
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the Daily Coffee News Editor at Roast Magazine.
