When Zach Komes’s family moved to the Washington Heights neighborhood, he and his sister Elsa set up a youth-led, fundraising coffee stand as a way to meet people. Founded as a nonprofit in 2005, The E-Z Coffee Stand brought neighbors together and raised nearly $1,000 for UNICEF its first summer. That fall, Zach and Elsa won the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee's Youth Leadership Award for their positive community efforts. Over the years, E-Z Coffee has raised money for Heifer International, Growing Power, Hope House and for Rufus King International High School campus scholarships. This year, the stand will be supporting Alice’s Garden (2136 N. 21st St.), a two-acre community garden that hires local youth, and kiva.org, an international microloan organization that helps support small businesses in developing counties.
“We cannot thank our volunteers enough,” says Sydney Plumb, owner and baker of Pangur’s Pies, who has donated her time and bakery to The E-Z Coffee Stand for the past seven years. “Their willingness to give from the bottom of their hearts, even when life gets busy or tough, means the world to us, and I know it means a lot to the people we help, too.”
Located on the corner of Hi-Mount Boulevard (50th Street) and Vine Street, the stand will be serving the community every Wednesday from 7-9 a.m. until late August. E-Z Coffee serves Valentine fair-trade coffee, as well as pies and pastries donated by Plumb. Live music is donated by Neil Davis of West End Conservatory. For more information, visit ezcoffee.org, email ezcoffee@live.com or visit the stand to speak with Zach Komes or Sydney Plumb.
