equity-based
impact
Children looking through microscope
coffee, fuel for change
We didn’t start with a product. We started with a promise: that whatever business we built would fuel change. It was a conviction that came straight from our upbringing.

Gary, Indiana was once a thriving steel hub, but by the time we came of age it had become one of the most disadvantaged cities in the country. Poverty was high, resources were scarce, and safe, community-centered spaces were few and far between. Cafes, for example, were virtually nonexistent; the closest thing to a “coffeehouse” was a McDonald’s where retirees gathered over small cups. The Boys & Girls Club was a safe haven for us, offering structure, mentorship, and stability when little else did. It was there that we learned the transformative role youth-focused nonprofits can play… and it planted the seed for what BLK & Bold would eventually become.
Our mission needed a product with reach, daily resonance, and cultural weight. Coffee offered all three, as the most widely consumed beverage among U.S. adults and a ritual touchpoint for two-thirds of Americans. But the industry had gaps: Black Americans are the least likely ethnic group to drink coffee regularly, and Black-owned coffee companies were nonexistent at a national scale (indeed, BLK & Bold became the first). As two friends who’d spent years in coffee shops as consumers, that lack of representation—both behind the counter and in the retail aisles—felt personal.
“I kept wondering about this product I was spending so much money on but knew so little about. The more I learned, the more I fell in love with coffee itself… but the more I felt a disconnect with an industry that lacked representation and too often ignored the communities it served.”
Pernell Cezar, Co-founder & CEO
“We started BLK & Bold as two guys who know firsthand what it’s like to grow up in under-resourced communities. For us, the model is simple: never forget where you came from, and always reinvest in the people who were there for you.”
Rod Johnson, Co-founder & Chief Values Officer

And so, the idea crystallized: coffee would be our canvas. It was familiar enough to meet people where they were, but powerful enough to carry something bigger: representation, reinvestment, and a chance to rewrite what business could mean.

From grandparents gathering at the kitchen table to Gen Z discovering cold brew, coffee has always been a ritual that connects generations. With BLK & Bold, every cup now carries something more.

The stakes
for today's youth

At BLK & Bold, we made a commitment to invest 5% of our gross profits into organizations that are rewriting the future for underserved youth. Every data point in this report represents a life with potential that deserves to be met with opportunity.

Everyday inequities take many forms: a student trying to complete homework without internet access. A child sitting through class on an empty stomach. A teenager facing harsher discipline than their peers for the same behavior. These disparities are urgent and pervasive, shaping the daily lives of youth in need across the country.

Our 5% pledge is anchored in a conviction that no student should be denied opportunity because of the neighborhood they live in or the financial circumstances they were born into. Whether it’s hunger, digital exclusion, or systemic bias, the barriers are real, but they are not inevitable. We’re leveraging our platform to resource the next generation.

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. households with children face food insecurity. The burden falls disproportionately on communities of color, where rates are more than twice as high as White households.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Urban Growers Collective (Chicago), Acta Non Verba (Oakland), Cloud 9 Farms (Philadelphia), and City Growers (Brooklyn) transform vacant land into farms and gardens, expanding food access while equipping youth with agricultural, environmental, and leadership skills.
On a single-night count in 2023, more than 34,700 unaccompanied youth and more than 7,000 parenting youth under 25 were homeless. Young people from historically marginalized communities remain disproportionately affected.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Sunset Youth Services (San Francisco) provides critical support and crisis intervention for homeless and justice-involved youth, while LA Conservation Corps (Los Angeles) offers job training, education, and mentorship that help vulnerable young people gain stability and pathways toward long-term independence.
Nearly 1 in 4 low-income households lacks access to a working computer or internet, fueling the “homework gap” in which students can’t complete assignments or fully participate in digital learning.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Comp-U-Dopt (Houston) delivers free computers and digital literacy training, ensuring students can fully participate in school and future careers.
Students in low-income communities are far less likely to have access to quality arts programs: in some schools, arts funding is less than $1 per pupil annually. Yet underserved students engaged in the arts are five times more likely to graduate high school, with higher academic achievement, stronger social-emotional skills, and fewer disciplinary issues.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Juxtaposition Arts (Minneapolis) and The Black Man Can (national) center creative expression and representation, helping young people build confidence, self-determination, and pathways to success.
By 6th grade, children from middle- and upper-income families have logged 6,000 more hours of learning than their peers in poverty, including over 4,000 hours in after-school and summer enrichment like tutoring, sports, and arts programs. This gap fuels long-term inequities in achievement and opportunity.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Kid Power (Washington, D.C.) and By Degrees Foundation (Des Moines) expand after-school programs, mentorship, and college prep to close enrichment and readiness gaps and open doors to opportunity.
Students in under-resourced schools are suspended at more than 3x higher rates than their peers, compounding existing educational inequities. Discipline disparities often mirror broader inequities in income, community resources, and systemic bias.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Youth Guidance (Chicago) places mentors and evidence-based supports inside schools, helping students strengthen social-emotional skills, reduce suspensions, and stay engaged through graduation.
The numbers are sobering, but they’re not immovable. Every bag of coffee and every cup brewed fuels the work of trusted, community-rooted partners building opportunity where it’s needed most.
National graduation rates reveal a persistent gap—4–12 percentage points—between students in high-income vs. low-income districts. Gaps are driven by inequities in school funding, disproportionate discipline, and limited access to enrichment opportunities.
Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Youth Guidance helps keep students on track to graduate, while the Center for Black Innovation (Miami) exposes youth to coding, entrepreneurship, and leadership pathways, broadening the opportunities available after graduation and into their careers.
Nearly 1 in 3 Americans (including 28 million children) lack a park or natural space within a 10-minute walk of home, with the burden falling disproportionately on under-resourced neighborhoods. Limited access to nature restricts opportunities for play, health, and community connection.

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Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Greening Youth Foundation (Atlanta) and LA Conservation Corps introduce underrepresented youth to conservation careers and outdoor education; City Growers connects young people in dense urban areas to green spaces and the benefits of nature.

Black youth represent 46% of young people in juvenile placement, despite making up only 15% of the U.S. youth population. They’re 5.6 times more likely than White youth to be incarcerated, while Latino youth are at least twice as likely in many states. System involvement often compounds inequities.

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Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Sunset Youth Services provides direct alternatives to justice involvement through advocacy, mentorship, and creative expression, while The Black Man Can strengthens representation and social-emotional supports that help young men build confidence and avoid the justice system.

Around 70% of youth in detention have at least one mental health diagnosis (nearly 30% with severe conditions), yet most do not receive adequate treatment while incarcerated or after release. Disparities by race, income, and gender further limit access to care, fueling cycles of incarceration without healing.

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Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Youth Guidance tackles trauma head-on with evidence-based counseling and mentorship programs that improve mental health and reduce justice involvement. Kid Power strengthens social-emotional skills and wellness early, equipping under-resourced youth with the supports they need to stay engaged in school and build resilience before crises escalate.

The numbers are sobering, but they’re not immovable. Every bag of coffee and every cup brewed fuels the work of trusted, community-rooted partners building opportunity where it’s needed most.

1 in 4 Low-income households lack computer access.

This fuels the "homework gap" where students can't complete assignments or participate in digital learning.

Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Comp-U-Dopt (Houston) delivers free computers and digital literacy training to students.

70% of detained youth have mental health diagnosis

Nearly 30% have severe conditions, yet most don't receive adequate treatment during or after incarceration.

Where BLK & Bold intervenes: Kid power and Youth Guidance address trauma early with wrap-around supports.

5% of gross profits
committed to organizations serving underserved youth
Partners
who
power the
movement
No movement takes root alone: real, lasting impact is always the result of people and organizations choosing to stand together, pooling resources, and multiplying one another’s strengths. At BLK & Bold, partnership isn’t an afterthought; it’s been the backbone of how we do business and how we drive change.

From the nonprofits in our For Our Youth pledge network to the supply chain allies who help us bring ethically sourced coffee to shelves nationwide, we choose our partners with intention. Each one champions our values of accountability, transparency, and an unwavering belief that business should be a force for good.

These partners power the movement, ensuring that every cup of BLK & Bold coffee is a shared investment in young people, in communities, and in a future where growth and impact rise together.
youth
organizations
Driving Change
Driving Change Across the Country
From the start, we saw coffee sales as the catalyst for a larger mission—a domestic social impact model dedicated to equipping under-resourced youth with the tools to manifest their potential. Or, as we like to say it more simply: Coffee for you. Impact for our youth.
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Since our founding, that commitment has generated more than $465,000 in contributions to youth-focused nonprofits, fueling programs in education, workforce development, food security, mental health, and digital access. That’s real dollars going to real organizations doing transformational work, from laptops and mentorship to therapy access and college savings accounts.
“BLK & Bold was never just about coffee. It was a declaration that overlooked communities deserve access, and that business can be a bridge. The pledge reflects a simple belief: every cup of coffee can fuel something greater, guiding under-resourced youth toward becoming the best versions of themselves.”
Rod Johnson, Co-founder & Chief Values Officer
“We’ve always believed a for-profit business could be an engine for domestic impact. If children are the future, then they should be equipped with the resources to manifest their potential, not left behind by socio-economic disparities. The 5% pledge was our way of turning a daily ritual into a funnel for opportunity.” Pernell Cezar, Co-founder & CEO
Below are the 14 youth-focused organizations we’re proud to stand beside. These partners are the heartbeat of our For Our Youth pledge, and their work is where our model comes alive:
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Cloud 9 Farms (Philadelphia, PA)
Through its Urbanstead program, Cloud 9 has become a lifeline for youth leadership and food justice in Philadelphia. The Francisville Urban Farm and other sites provide safe spaces where young people gain hands-on agricultural training, work experience, and transferable skills in career development, health, and community engagement. Youth participants run weekly farmers markets, learning entrepreneurship while distributing organic produce that supports local pantries and improves neighborhood food security.
Acta Non Verba (Oakland, CA)
Acta Non Verba uses urban farming to fight food insecurity while empowering Oakland youth and their families with tools for long-term stability. Operating four farms, including the West Oakland Farm Park, ANV provides safe green spaces where kids ages 5–25 learn agriculture, nutrition, financial literacy, and leadership. All profits from crops grown and sold by youth are deposited into their individual savings accounts for educational use, building both college funds and confidence in the future. Each season, more than 300 families benefit from CSA distributions and farmers markets, while youth gain hands-on skills that link healthy food, financial empowerment, and community resilience.
City Growers (Brooklyn, NY)
Since 2011, City Growers has connected thousands of New York City youth to nature and food systems through immersive rooftop farm programs and hands-on science education. By turning urban gardens into living classrooms, the organization gives students—particularly those from communities with limited access to green spaces—direct experience in sustainability, agriculture, and environmental stewardship. Each year, thousands of children and teens join field trips, apprenticeships, and workshops that build food literacy, promote healthy eating, and nurture the next generation of civic and environmental leaders in the heart of the city.
Urban Growers Collective (Chicago, IL)
Urban Growers Collective is a Black- and women-led nonprofit addressing food inequities and creating pathways into environmental justice careers on Chicago’s South and West Sides. In 2023 alone, UGC harvested more than 23,000 pounds of crops, employed 133 Youth Corps participants in paid agricultural training, and distributed 1,530 CSA boxes while serving 14,400 customers through its Fresh Moves Mobile Market. With eight farms spanning 11 acres, the organization not only expands food access in underserved neighborhoods but also invests in local economies and equips young people with job skills and leadership opportunities rooted in food justice.
Comp-U-Dopt (Houston, TX)
Comp-U-Dopt is tackling the digital divide at scale, delivering both devices and digital skills to underserved communities. Since its founding, the nonprofit has distributed more than 147,700 refurbished computers to students and families in 57 cities across 22 states, while connecting over 30,000 households to reliable internet. Beyond hardware, Comp-U-Dopt has provided 344,000+ hours of digital literacy and workforce training, ensuring access turns into opportunity. By diverting 700 tons of e-waste annually through its refurbishing model, the organization also reduces environmental impact, all while empowering young people with the tools to learn, connect, and thrive in a digital world.
Center for Black Innovation (Miami, FL)
Founded as Code Fever Miami in 2013, the Center for Black Innovation (CBI) nurtures the next generation of leaders by opening doors to technology, entrepreneurship, and creative possibility. Through its Young Coders Academy, youth gain digital literacy and coding skills that prepare them for careers in a rapidly changing economy. Events like BlackTech Week connect young people directly with founders, investors, and mentors who reflect their own potential, offering representation in spaces where it has too often been missing. Rooted in Miami’s historic Overtown neighborhood and expanding nationwide, CBI aims to reach 25,000 Black innovators per market in more than ten cities by 2030, creating pathways for youth to build confidence, pursue innovation, and step into futures of leadership and impact.
Juxtaposition Arts (Minneapolis, MN)
Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) has been transforming its community for more than two decades by apprenticing teens in design, fine arts, and public art commissions, ultimately turning creativity into a career pathway. Founded by local artists, the organization was created specifically for underprivileged youth in North Minneapolis who face limited access to traditional educational opportunities. Each year, JXTA employs young urban creatives across disciplines like graphic design, ceramics, textiles, and environmental design, allowing them to earn income while building portfolios and preparing for college or creative careers. In 2023, JXTA opened a new $12.2 million campus of studios, classrooms, and galleries, expanding its impact as a cultural and economic hub. Recognized with the 2024 CoStar Impact Award for Redevelopment of the Year, JXTA has proven that art can be both a tool for mobility and a driver of community revitalization.
Sunset Youth Services (San Francisco, CA)
For more than 30 years, Sunset Youth Services (SYS) has provided mentorship, therapy, creative outlets, and advocacy for San Francisco’s most marginalized youth and families. Their holistic model blends justice system intervention, job training, and family support with healing arts programs like UpStar Records, a youth-run label and digital media studio that amplifies young voices through music and film. SYS maintains a recidivism rate of 10% or less, compared to the city average of nearly 70%, demonstrating exceptional success in helping justice-involved youth build new paths forward. With more than 6,000 youth served to date, SYS continues to stabilize lives and build resilience, proving that relationships, creativity, and advocacy can transform both individuals and communities.
The Black Man Can (National)
Founded in 2010 by Dr. Brandon Frame, The Black Man Can has grown from a blog into a national nonprofit uplifting Black boys and men through authentic storytelling, mentorship, and leadership programs. With a digital community of more than 1.1 million followers, the organization amplifies positive narratives while delivering school-based social-emotional learning and juvenile justice outreach supported by public and private funding. Collaborations with major brands, including Walmart’s League of Black and Unlimited Dads campaign, extend its reach, celebrating fatherhood and representation. By blending digital storytelling with on-the-ground programming, The Black Man Can cultivates pride, confidence, and opportunity for Black communities nationwide.
Youth Guidance (Chicago, IL)
Youth Guidance empowers Chicago students to succeed in school and life through evidence-based, school-based programs like Becoming A Man (BAM) and Working on Womanhood (WOW). Serving approximately 13,000 youth annually across 118 schools, the organization reaches predominantly low-income students—58% African American and 31% Latino—providing group therapy, mentorship, and social-emotional learning to help them navigate adversity. Independent evaluations show measurable improvements in attendance, social-emotional skills, and reduced disciplinary incidents, while initiatives like BAM have earned national recognition. By embedding services directly in schools, Youth Guidance creates safe, supportive environments that give young people the tools and confidence to graduate and thrive beyond the classroom.
By Degrees Foundation (Des Moines, IA)
Based in BLK & Bold’s hometown, By Degrees Foundation is reshaping academic futures by embedding a culture of college readiness across Des Moines’ northside schools. Partnering with Findley Elementary, Harding Middle, and North High, the organization supports more than 2,500 students annually with K–12 programming, campus visits, and career exploration. Since 2015, By Degrees has invested over $312,000 in 529 college savings accounts for 600+ students, who can earn up to $2,600 by meeting academic milestones—funds now being used by the oldest participants for tuition and vocational training. The results speak volumes: 95% of program-engaged students graduate high school and 70% enroll in postsecondary education, far outpacing their peers. By Degrees is proving that early exposure, consistent mentorship, and financial empowerment can turn aspiration into achievement for under-resourced youth.
Kid Power (Washington, D.C.)
Kid Power inspires the next generation of leaders by serving more than 1,400 underprivileged youth annually from historically underserved communities across all eight wards of Washington, D.C. Through after-school, in-school, and summer programs, students ages 5–17 receive literacy tutoring, mentorship, and social-emotional support designed to build confidence and academic success. Hands-on initiatives like the VeggieTime school garden program have reached over 1,200 students with lessons in science and nutrition, while youth-led ventures—such as a hot sauce business created by middle schoolers—foster entrepreneurship and leadership. In 2024, Kid Power expanded its reach with 20,000+ participants in live and online workshops equipping them with conflict resolution, harm prevention, and self-advocacy skills. With 92% of its budget invested directly into programming, Kid Power ensures every resource fuels equity, resilience, and opportunity for the city’s youth.
Greening Youth Foundation (Atlanta, GA)
Greening Youth Foundation (GYF) is building pathways into conservation and green-sector careers for underrepresented youth, linking ecological justice with economic opportunity. In 2023, the foundation engaged more than 500 young people in paid conservation and workforce training programs, partnering with the National Park Service and USDA Forest Service to place youth at sites like the Grand Canyon and Everglades National Park. Locally, GYF collaborates with Trees Atlanta to plant and care for 2,300 trees along the Atlanta Beltline, addressing urban heat while creating healthier neighborhoods. Programs include stipends, mentorship, and skills training in areas like botany, beekeeping, and financial literacy, ensuring participants gain both technical expertise and life skills. In environmental fields where less than 2% of conservation scientists and foresters are Black, GYF is closing the diversity gap.
LA Conservation Corps (Los Angeles, CA)
For nearly 40 years, the LA Conservation Corps (LACC) has engaged at-risk young adults in service and conservation projects that strengthen both communities and the environment. Each year, more than 5,000 youth gain paid job training, mentorship, and academic support, with many earning high school diplomas or credentials alongside workforce experience. Corpsmembers have planted or distributed 8,760 trees, diverted millions of containers and tires from landfills, and removed over 2,300 tons of litter, improving air, water, and soil quality across Los Angeles. Together, they’ve contributed more than 359,000 hours of hands-on training in urban forestry, stormwater management, and waste reduction—work that delivers measurable ecological savings valued at over $350,000 annually. By coupling environmental stewardship with education and stipends, LACC creates tangible pathways out of poverty while making Los Angeles more resilient and sustainable.
fair trade and  
labor/community practices
fair trade and  
labor/
community practices

Fair Trade helps level the field by setting a minimum price floor, enforcing rigorous social and environmental standards, and linking cooperatives with more stable, long-term trading partners—all while channeling premiums into farmer-led projects.

For a company our size, being among the top 30 Fair Trade Certified coffee roasters in the U.S. is no small feat. Since becoming Fair Trade Certified, BLK & Bold’s sourcing has generated over $150,000 in cumulative contributions to the Community Development Fund. That impact grows with every bag of certified coffee we purchase.

What matters most is how those dollars are used. Farmers—not companies—decide where the premiums go. In Honduras, one cooperative used funds to create a virtual classroom so students could continue their education during the pandemic. In Peru, growers have invested in both healthcare—building a dentist’s office for the entire community—and environmental initiatives like agroforestry projects that pair reforestation with sustainable coffee production. Premiums have also supported childcare centers, financial literacy training, solar panels powering local clinics, and programs for the next generation of farmers.

This is why Fair Trade is more than a certification. It extends BLK & Bold’s commitment to social impact beyond our U.S. initiatives—embedding it across our entire value chain, from the farmers who grow our beans to the communities where they’re roasted, distributed, and enjoyed. Every bag of BLK & Bold coffee not only fuels purpose here at home, but also strengthens farming communities abroad, proving that great coffee can create shared value across livelihoods and landscapes.

The BLK & Bold Foundation:
A 20-Year Commitment to Empower 72 Million Youth

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In February 2024, we leveled up our commitment with the launch of the BLK & Bold Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the official philanthropic arm of our company. Born out of the success of our For Our Youth initiative, the Foundation not only continues to fuel our 14 national pledge partners; it also opens the door for donors and partners everywhere to join us. With this new platform, we can channel even more resources into youth-serving organizations nationwide and invite anyone who shares our vision to invest directly in the next generation.

“Coming out of an underserved community ourselves, we know the life-changing power of safe spaces and mentors who believe in you. That’s why we created the Foundation: to stand alongside organizations that open doors for under-resourced youth and help expand their impact.”
Rod Johnson, Co-founder & Chief Values Officer

For Rod and Pernell, this launch has been deeply personal. Both founders serve on the Foundation’s board, ensuring its mission remains grounded in lived experience as well as ambition. Since 2018, BLK & Bold has contributed more than $465,000 to pledge partners, helping fund technology access, promote healthy lifestyles, and create environments where young people can thrive. The Foundation builds on this track record by shining a spotlight on the remarkable organizations already driving change, resourcing their visions while scaling our own.

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The Foundation’s mission is simple: to connect youth to a better future. Its vision is bold: through Project Future Forward, we aim to positively influence the lives of 72 million children over the next 20 years with community development initiatives, educational scholarships, and workforce readiness programs. 

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This long-term commitment recognizes the demographic shifts ahead: by 2045, the U.S. is projected to become a minority-majority nation. Preparing youth today with education, entrepreneurship, workforce readiness, and wellness resources is how we can reduce disparities and ensure all children have the chance to thrive in that future.

“Our vision is nothing short of generational change. Our work is about rewriting the story of what’s possible for America’s youth, and building a future where access and opportunity are no longer determined by zip code or circumstance. Consider the Foundation as a hub for those efforts. Let’s do this together.”
Jarrhod Johnson, President, BLK & Bold Foundation

With this milestone, BLK & Bold has built a national platform for generational change.