Whole Story

A small town girl with a big appetite for travel, Liz joined Whole Foods Market in 2009 as part of the public relations team. This past June, Liz and nine other Whole Foods Market volunteers traveled to Kenya to meet Whole Planet Foundation’s microlending partners and work with Comfort the Children International, the nonprofit behind the L.I.F.E. Jacket project. Liz met the amazing women and children the program is empowering, and is excited that shoppers now have a way to get involved! Looking for a perfect little something for the office crew, a gift that gives back or a stocking stuffer your loved ones can use all year long? We have just the thing to rescue you from your holiday woes — a L.I.F.E. Jacket. This reusable canvas coffee sleeve is handmade by women in Kenya to help them earn a living and — for the first time ever — send their special needs children to school. With a fresh design and a great cause, this java jacket plays many roles. It keeps your drinks piping hot and protects your hands while keeping wasteful cardboard sleeves out of the landfill and helping to change a mother and child’s world — and all before breakfast! L.I.F.E. stands for Livelihood, Invest, Future, Empower, and that’s just what the products are helping poor mothers provide and do for their families. Want to learn more about these women, this program and the L.I.F.E. Jacket? Take a look at this video: Even better — the L.I.F.E Jacket is just 99¢ when you buy an Allegro beverage from one of our coffee bars nationwide. And the best part is that 100% of the proceeds go directly back to Comfort the Children International, the nonprofit behind this amazing program, to help Kenyans change their own lives. Pair this mocha mitt with a bag of Allegro Coffee’s Celebration Cafè 2011 Vintage Roast or a Whole Foods Market gift card and you have a complete gift for your favorite javaholic. Here are even more reasons to love the L.I.F.E. Jacket:

• It’s hand washable, so there’s no need to worry about spills or drips.
• The neutral color makes it easy to customize – make it your own with colorful doodles and designs or help out your barista by labeling it with your drink of choice. If you want to keep your options open, you can even use a washable marker so you can wash it off and start over with a clean slate.
• It doubles as a can koozie.

While you’re at the coffee bar, you might want to pick up a few extras, because once you try this jacket out on your own brew, you won’t want to give it away. And at such a low price that supports a great cause, you can afford to treat yourself too. What’s your favorite gift that gives back? Photos courtesy of Chelseadee.com.