Coffee Kids & WBC team up for 2010 London activities.

(London, England) – Baristas from over 50 countries will compete for the honor of World Champion Barista at the 11th Annual World Barista Championship (WBC) in London, England, June 23-25. The event will also feature efforts to raise awareness and funds for Coffee Kids, an international nonprofit dedicated to helping coffee-farming families.

This year, the WBC will be held in conjunction with the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe Conference and Caffé Culture Show, Europe’s largest specialty coffee expo.

Special Coffee Kids/WBC efforts and events include:

• -  An online auction of coffee-related items that will begin in June. All funds raised will benefit Coffee Kids’ projects for coffee-farming families.
• -  A Coffee Kids Reception will be held Thursday, June 24 at 6pm. The event will feature a quiz show with celebrity baristas, an open bar and a presentation from Coffee Kids Executive Director Carolyn Fairman.
• -  A coffee map featuring 20-25 of London’s must-visit coffee destinations will be compiled and distributed. All participating shops will collect donations and raise awareness of Coffee Kids.

“The partnership with Coffee Kids allows baristas an opportunity to learn more about ways they can get involved in supporting coffee-growing communities around the world,” said Cindy Chang, executive director of the WBC.

Please contact info@coffeekids.org or call 505-820-1143 for more information.

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The World Barista Championship is the preeminent international coffee competition. The organization—founded by the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe and the Specialty Coffee Association of America—focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging a worldwide audience with an annual championship event that serves as the culmination of events held in more than 50 member nations around the globe.  For more information, visit the WBC website at http://www.worldbaristachampionship.org

Coffee Kids, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of coffee-farming families. Founded in 1988, the organization works closely with partners in coffee-growing communities to create community-based programs that respect the values, cultural integrity and ingenuity of the communities.

Coffee Kids supports economic diversification, education, and healthcare programs in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Peru. To learn more about Coffee Kids or to make a donation, please visit www.coffeekids.org or call 505-820-1443.