The Kaldi Difference
As a family owned and operated business, we have always lived by the phrase "If you can dream it, you can live it." Since 1995, that mantra has motivated and enabled us to bring Kaldi Gourmet Coffee Roasters where it is today. With our core value of encouraging others to chase their dreams and strive to accomplish the seemingly impossible in mind, we look for philanthropies that help others accomplish just that.
Our Community
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A Healing Future for Women
With Grounds for Health
While attending the Specialty Coffee Expo, Tracey happened upon a booth that left her feeling inspired.
Grounds for Health, a mission-driven, international non-profit organization with enduring ties to the coffee industry, focused on increasing coverage of cervical cancer prevention services.
In developing countries, cervical cancer kills more women than any other cancer. Over 80% of women newly diagnosed with cervical cancer live in these countries. Most have never been screened; many are diagnosed too late for recovery. Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect, treat, and cure when caught early. Women in developing nations are no more susceptible to the disease than their sisters in the first world. They simply do not have access to screening and treatment.
As a woman business owner in the coffee industry, and a mother with two daughters, Tracey felt passionate about finding a way to support Grounds for Health. Today, Kaldi Gourmet Coffee Roasters is honored to be a part of their Women Choosing Women initiative, where women in the coffee industry have the opportunity to show their commitment to women at origin. The initiative is powerful and inspiring and speaks to their collective value and commitment to women’s health equity.
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A Mission for Empowerment
With 4 Paws For Ability
The Torello family has always had a special place in their hearts for a sweet dog, but recently they have seen firsthand what an incredible difference a pooch can make.
When Tracey's father, "Grampy," was diagnosed with Alzheimer's back in 2021, the Torello family dog Oliver (now Kaldi.com's mascot), with his enthusiastic personality, somehow knew to be gentle with Grampy. It felt as if he could sense the shift, as he would cuddle at Grampy's feet and even let Grampy pat his head (which is NOT Oliver's favorite).
Observing Oliver's interactions with Grampy inspired something in Alex and Tracey. They knew they wanted to find a way to help pair dogs with people who had been dealt a tougher hand in life and needed a furry friend to bring them the same joy that Oliver brought Grampy.
They then heard about 4 Paws For Ability, a non-profit organization that breeds, raises, trains, and places service dogs with children and veterans who have disabilities. With a mission to enrich the lives of people with disabilities by placing life-changing service dogs, Kaldi.com is proud to support the 4 Paws for Ability vision for a world where people with disabilities can realize their full potential, one service dog at a time.
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Reaching for the Stars
With Opera House Theatre Company
Known as a professional theatre company in a community environment, Opera House Theatre Company (OHTC) is committed to supporting, nurturing, and developing a rich array of local talent and the arts community it serves in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Owners of Kaldi.com, Alex and Tracey Torello, watched their daughters grow up on the Opera House stage, gaining confidence, social skills, and learning from the inspiring adults around them. As they saw the difference OHTC made in their daughters' lives, they knew they had found an organization more than worthy of supporting beyond being audience members.
Kaldi Gourmet Coffee Roasters has been a proud supporter of Opera House Theatre Company for many years. As part of our commitment to the arts, we helped establish the Lou Criscuolo Memorial Scholarship, which continues the legacy of our founder, Lou Criscuolo, and his mission to "Make Dreams Come True." This annual academic scholarship is awarded to a student pursuing higher education who has been involved with Opera House Theatre Company in any capacity.
In addition to this, we proudly support the Paul Teal Artist Scholarship, created in honor of the late Wilmington local talent and Torello family member, Paul Teal. This scholarship is awarded to a graduating high school or college student planning to continue their education in the performing arts, whether through a traditional college path or an alternative educational pursuit, much like the one Paul himself followed. Paul was the fiancé of Tracey and Alex's daughter, Emilia, and he will always be deeply missed as a beloved member of both the Torello and Opera House families.
