The Beacon Today

According to a study done by Columbia University Center on Sustainable Investment, there are approximately 12.5 million coffee producers in the world. The question still stands of just how important the ethics of coffee sourcing is.

For Bryan and Meg Jenkins, owners of Candid Coffee Co., finding an ethical coffee source was one of the hardest steps.

“Since it’s a commodity, a lot of coffee is presold. You think you can just buy them easily but it’s a lot more than that,” Bryan Jenkins said. “It’s about building a relationship with the farmers but, with a small business like us, it’s harder.”

The term “Fairtrade” refers to how companies and farmers are committed to ethical practices in regards to wage, treatment and environmental impact, according to Fairtrade International.

Read more to learn about the importance of ethical coffee sourcing and its value to farmers and everyone that touches the coffee beans. Link in bio!

By. Maria Teixeira

Palm Beach County elementary school students continue to use school-issued laptops for classwork and personal use, prompting concern from teachers and parents.

Stacy Caceres, a second grade teacher from Egret Lakes Community Elementary, expressed her concern over COVID-19’s push for an increase of computer-learning.

She said technology continues to completely overtake the classroom, it will jeopardize elementary students’ essential motor skills, in-person communication skills and writing abilities.

Read more on The Beacon Today, link in bio!

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery that involves forcing, defrauding or coercing victims into s*xual exploitation, according to the U.S. Department of State. This pervasive system deprives victims of their innate rights as human beings and it is happening here at home.

In addition to s*x trafficking, Palm Beach County is host to labor trafficking of seasonal workers coming to town on work visas. Any seasonal employees at places such as country clubs, restaurants and hotels are vulnerable to exploitation.

Jamie Bond, the director of advancement at Place of Hope, struck a passion for human trafficking victims 12 years ago.

“People don’t want to admit a lot of times that these things are happening in our community as a result of our being uneducated, naive or honestly just wanting to turn a blind eye,” Bond added.

Creating awareness for the National Hotline is one of the key factors to catching traffickers in the act. Read the full story on The Beacon Today. Link in bio!

Gas prices have soared in Florida since March, just like it has across the United States, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. South Florida was no exception, experiencing some of the highest gas prices in the state. According to data from the American Automobile Association, seven of the 14 counties with the highest gas prices in the state are in South Florida.

“We do think that the increase in gas prices is impacting our ridership,” said Vanessa Alfonso, the director of media relations for Brightline.



People turning to public transportation could also be an indication of why March was such a strong month for Brightline. Alfonso said that Brightline has seen its passes rise by 300% and its numbers for the month of March were 107,069.

Read the full story on how soaring gas prices have affected South Florida community, link in Bio.

By: Aaron Heckman

Palm Beach Atlantic University senior Gianna Piccard believes that God’s timing is always perfect. This belief led her to become the liaison between the University and a non-profit organization that serves West Palm Beach.

The Give Back Community is a non-profit organization that serves the homeless community and those in need in West Palm Beach by collecting donations and distributing them by hand to the people that need it.

“We have personal information such as the name, phone number and necessities of every homeless person we know. Thus, we know what each individual needs and we try to help them by providing them with what we consider they need to get them back to a normal life,” said Jorge Santamaría, the recreational activities manager for Give Back Community.

Check out this amazing story on the Beacon, link in bio!

“Climate change has been an area of growing discussion for many…” so what is West Palm Beach doing to help fight?

Read about the Office of Sustainability and their goal to fight climate change. Plant a tree… grow LIFE! 🌱

Article by: Hedda Jarhall