Coffee Culture and Community

Alabaster Coffee Roaster and Tea Co. is a small, family-owned coffee bar located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Since 2010, the mission of Alabaster’s has been to create community through coffee culture. In their mission statement, they stress the importance of respecting all people in the process, from their employees to the farmers in Central and South America that they import their raw beans from.

In 2012, the business started to pick up as the space was used to aid a church planting effort for the City Alliance Church. What started as a Bible Study became a larger group that needed a space larger than a home. Alabaster’s had always been closed on Sundays and used this opportunity to provide a free space for the community to worship. City Alliance Church now has a building in downtown Williamsport, but this coffee roaster continued to expand its mission into the community.

There are three specific local partnerships this business has made with the community to redeem the culture of Williamsport. The first is called Community Tap where every month they partner with a non-profit organization and brew a special drink. Each time a customer buys this beverage during that month $2 goes towards the non-profit organization. The Franchise Development Program partners with the local Williamsport High School to inspire students who are encouraged to initiate and sustain their own small business through Alabaster Coffee Roaster and Tea Co. The Warrior Coffee Project partners with Lycoming College to bring students and farmers in the Dominican Republic together for hands-on learning and experience in international markets. These three partnerships cover various demographics and serve to unite the community in Williamsport where there are racial and generational gaps.

Alabaster Coffee Roaster and Tea Co. has continued to impress me as I have grown up in Williamsport and seen their community efforts while enjoying their coffee shop frequently. They continue to strive for a redemptive community among the brokenness that is found in this city. Coffee culture is such a unique area of business that creates an environment that facilitates the building of fruitful relationships. There is something special about sitting down with a cup of coffee and having a conversation face to face. I am excited to see how else this coffee bar continues to impact the city while having a kingdom vision of creating and sustaining a healthy community.