Talitha Coffee logo.
A San Diego-based tobacco smoking startup called Talitha Coffee produces colorfully packaged, freshly roasted, specialty quality beans. But behind every bag is a deeper commitment to creating opportunities and support systems for victims of sex trafficking.
Jenny Barber, co-founder of Talitha Coffee, has been fighting human trafficking through her nonprofit for more than a decade and has witnessed similar obstacles faced by those who have been able to obtain an education and find employment.
At the same time, on a personal level, Jenny and her husband Robert Barber were learning more about coffee, and Robert first browned beans in a popcorn maker about 10 years ago. This passion led to various fundraisers for the couple’s nonprofit, including their organization called Justice 180.
Now with extensive experience in both fields, the Barbers pivoted and opened Talitha Coffee as a full-fledged coffee shop while also offering career-focused programs and support to survivors of human trafficking.
Talitha coffee bags.
The company has created what it calls Talitha Survivor Support Network, which includes partnerships with multiple nonprofits. When a position opens up at Talitha Coffee, the company notifies the network and then receives referrals. Barber said the juvenile company has helped provide career opportunities to three survivors so far, and the goal is to scale up to support more people.
“We want to do everything we do really well,” Jenny Barber recently told Daily Coffee News. “With the coffee we serve, we want to serve an amazing cup of coffee. We want to give survivors the opportunity to be part of something amazing, something special, something they can be proud of.”
Barber added that the internship program aims to support survivors find employment anywhere in the coffee industry, not just at Talitha.
“We have connections to support groups, counseling, material needs, housing, budgeting, medical care, even scholarships if they want to go that route to go to school,” she said. “We make sure they have an effective support system.”
Q Grader Robert Barber and the rest of a tiny production team are currently overseeing roasting operations at a roastery near downtown San Diego, according to Jenny Barber. Talitha has just been named one of the locations for preliminary events in the U.S. Coffee Championships.
Co-founders of Talitha Coffee, Jenny and Robert Barber.
Jenny Barber said the company placed a high priority on teamwork and collaboration, especially given its dual goals of selling high-quality coffee and providing support services.
“It’s not just about what you bring to the team,” she said. “It’s about surrounding yourself with people who are great at what they do and who can fill in the gaps where you’re tender.”
Talitha Coffee is launching a variety of core blends, single-origin beans, and nitro icy brew kegs. They plan to target wholesale, grocery, and hospitality channels while also offering monthly subscriptions directly to consumers.
“We want to give people an effortless way to get involved in the fight against human trafficking,” Barber said. “It’s as plain as grabbing a cup of coffee and making a difference in the lives of survivors.”
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