Reggie’s Roast “Operation Giveback”
Reggie’s Roast believes in giving back to those who give to us. Through Operation Giveback, Dr. Reggie ChungLoy, who is one of New Jersey’s top Medical Surgeons, commits a percentage of our profits to the coffee farmers and residents of Jamaica to improve Health Care, and enhance Educational opportunities. Every year, Reggie takes a medical team to conduct health care programs in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, to bring proper medical care and education to those who give us so much.
Highlights over the years include:
Some 500 coffee farmers and their families have received free medical examinations and treatment at a health fair held at the Cedar Valley Baptist Church in St. Thomas, Jamaica. The examinations were carried out by “Reggie’s Roast Operation Giveback” , a team of Jamaican doctors based in the United States. “Operation Giveback” and the Cedar Valley Health Clinic collaborated with the Blue Mountain Coffee Co-operative, which organized the event.
Reggie’s Roast in conjunction with Air Jamaica has participated in Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Jamaica. Working with local surgeons, several breast cancer survivors have had reconstructive surgery completed at a Kingston hospital. Materials, including breast implants were provided by REGGIE’S ROAST OPERATION GIVEBACK.
Home to our farms, the birthplace of our coffee, and the people who work so hard to bring us the luxury of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.
Listen to your Dr.! Discussing the matters of the day and seeing how we can help.
Teaming up to make a difference.
An article about Reggie during Jamaica's Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Cheers to a good day's work during Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
Discussing our healthcare and well being.
Children we worked with and helped at the Cedar Valley Schools.
It is most important we take care of those who take care of our farms.
In continuing with our commitment to assist with educational projects that benefits the children of the Blue Mountains coffee farmers, Reggie’s Roast Operation Giveback has provided significant resources to recruit and retain special educators for children with special needs.
Reggie’s Roast has partnered with the Cedar Valley Primary and Junior High School, to provide assistance with the implementation of a literacy project.
CVPJHS is a government owned school that provides formal education to 224 students from the farming communities of NW St Thomas, at the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
The economic activities of the region revolves around farming, especially coffee farming. The Moy Hall factory located in CV is a major source of employment to the region. The predominantly depressed socio-economic state present challenges to the parents who look to the school for any available assistance to help with their children.
With an average attendance of 85% there is a less than satisfactory literacy performance by students. Lack of reading skills, along with poor standard test outcomes, leads to truancy and increase drop-out rates. The literacy project is designed to address the needs of these children, with the goal been increase literacy and level of education. The program provides effective reading instruction through electronic media and special educators not normally provided in the government owned school.
Reggie’s Roast Operation Giveback has provided significant funding for this project and continued support.
Droughts, floods, tropical storms and hurricanes with names like Dennis, Emily, Ivan (the Terrible), and Dean, are all factors that determine the success of the crop.
Having survived these sometimes catastrophic challenges, our Farmers must now hope for a fair price for the eventual crop, and when a fair trade price is realized, it provides for the basic necessities of life, and maybe a few “luxuries”. There is no health insurance, no life or disability insurance, no pension plan.
The life of the farmers that produces our finest coffee is far removed from our standard of living, those of us who enjoy these fine products.
We understand our moral responsibility to those who farm these lands, and to the men and women who work harder and with more passion than most would consider to even think about. Call it our social responsibility, moral obligation, or corporate citizenship, whatever term we use, those of us who are more privileged, must Give Back!
~A fuel for our existence. Giving will be a cornerstone of our soul~
One World, One Love!!!