ROCKFORD, Illinois — In its first year (2021), The First Responders Resiliency Foundation (FRRF) received 70-100 calls from firefighters seeking support. Today, FRRF provides 30-40 counseling sessions per month. However, many firefighters still end up taking their own life due to a lack of resources needed. In an effort to combat these numbers, FRRF, a part of Metro-Dade Firefighters, and Fire Department Coffee (FDC) are teaming up to bring awareness and support to firefighters when they need help the most.
Throughout September, FDC will feature Metro-Dade Firefighters through the Fire Dept. Coffee Club and Fire Dept. Shirt Club to raise funds in support of the First Responders Resiliency Foundation.
FDC has created an exclusive coffee roast and a thoughtfully designed T-shirt for the respective clubs, where $2 from each Fire Dept. Coffee Club bag ordered and $5 from each shirt purchased through the Fire Dept. Shirt Club will go back directly to support Metro-Dade Firefighters and the First Responders Resiliency Foundation.
FDC has raised over $10,000 through this initiative featuring past fire departments and organizations in a given month and has set a goal to exceed that amount to over $20,000 during the month-long initiative. Every purchase made helps strengthen the give-back amount, and also provides an opportunity to showcase your support.
This month’s Fire Dept. Coffee Club roast is dubbed ‘Salty Flamingo’ and is inspired by the beaches and neon nightlife of Miami. Made with high-quality blend of Colombian coffee beans, it’s the perfect brew to enjoy in the shade of a South Florida day.
Members of the Fire Dept. Shirt Club can enjoy their coffee while also sporting the Salty Flamingo style. This month’s shirt is black with the pink and blue Metro-Dade Firefighters shield on the chest, the FDC pike pole logo on the sleeve, and the Salty Flamingo design on the back, complete with a firefighter’s helmet.
“This initiative provides us the opportunity to give back to firefighters who serve our communities every day,” said Luke Schneider, CEO and Founder of Fire Department Coffee. “It’s a small gesture with a big impact.”
The First Responders Resiliency Foundation serves more than 3,500 active and retired firefighters across South Florida, providing a variety of services catering to firefighters’ mental health and wellbeing. It’s also dedicated to eliminating the long-held stigma around the simple idea of asking for help.
“Mental health struggles are everywhere,” said Gil Velasquez, Chairman of Dade County Association of Firefighters Charities. “We’re dealing with it every day.”
The Resiliency Foundation begins with a 24/7 hotline that is available to both active and retired firefighters. Mental health clinicians staff the hotline 24 hours a day, but the first goal is to identify the specific need and then connect the firefighter with the right person. That might be a therapist, but it also might be a chaplain. It might be to arrange marriage counseling or substance abuse treatments.
Join us in bringing awareness to this important issue by making a purchase or sharing as a gift with a fellow firefighter or coffee lover.
About Fire Department Coffee
Founded in 2016 by firefighter/paramedic and U.S. Navy veteran Luke Schneider, Fire Department Coffee is a NaVOBA certified veteran-owned business that is dedicated to handcrafting great-tasting coffee and supporting first responders. Its growing assortment of ground, whole bean, single serve pods, and ready-to-drink coffee is freshly roasted in the U.S.A. by a dedicated team of firefighters, first responders, and coffee experts.
In 2018, the company established the Fire Dept. Coffee Charitable Foundation to give back to first responders who have become sick or injured on the job, mentally or physically, or who are facing other serious health challenges.
Fire Department Coffee has an established social media presence of over 8 million followers across all channels and is available in retailers nationwide. They serve millions of coffee aficionados through a high-quality product offering of both coffee and gear items both online and in retail and continue to expand rapidly year-over-year.
About Firefighters Resiliency Foundation
The First Responders Resiliency Foundation (FRRF) cares for those who voluntarily sacrifice their physical and mental well-being for others. The Foundation’s aim is to be proactive in providing resources and education to improve the mind and body. We exist to make sure your call for help never goes unanswered.
For media inquiries, contact:
Jason Patton, VP of FDC & Social Media Influencer, [email protected] Lazaro Pereda, Metro-Dade Firefighter & FRRF Board Member , [email protected]