What do you think of when I say the word community? Here’s one definition:
community |kəˈmyoōnitē|1. a group of people living together in one place, esp. one practicing common ownership : a community of nuns.
• all the people living in a particular area or place : local communities.
• a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants : a rural community.
• the people of a district or country considered collectively, esp. in the context of social values & responsibilities; society: preparing prisoners for life back in the community.
• [as adj.] denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area: community health services.
I’m willing to bet the above definition is in line with what most people would think—that community is about a geographical containment of people, individuals connected by the physical space in which they live. You might think of your neighbors down the street, the other families in your subdivision, or even others you meet in the produce aisle of your local grocery store.
But there are other definitions of community as well. Consider:
• a body of nations or states unified by common interests.
(I apologize to any scientists among you who object to this depiction of cartoon figures wearing glasses & lab coats. But the image illustrates my point here.)
In this case, people can belong to a community with others they might never actually meet face to face, people who simply share similar beliefs or interests. You and I, for example, are part of a community centered on coffee. I may never see you in person. I may never even hear your name. Yet we have at least one thing in common: our love for, & interest in, the humble coffee bean.
And try this one:
3. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, & goals: the sense of community that organized religion can provide.
• a similarity or identity: writers who shared a community of interests.
• joint ownership or liability: a commitment to the community of goods.
The common interest that you & I share not only places us in a shared “body” of sorts, but it also evokes certain results, as definition #3 states. There is a sense of community between us. We care about many of the same things. On a basic level, we care about having a positive, high-quality coffee experience, whether at home or in a coffee bar. Taking that sense of community further, you & I share attitudes & goals that translate into action: investing our personal time & often our money into Higher Grounds, a business with a mission we believe in.
What is that mission? Well, you know a little about it (hopefully!) already, having read all about our stance on fair trade. But our mission is manifest all throughout our definition of community, which extends not beyond our immediate surroundings of TC & northern Michigan but throughout them, reaching others who care about & are connected to coffee all over the world.
That last sentence is kind of complicated. But the idea is this:
Higher Grounds’ mission is to engage with & support people doing important work in three major realms: social, environmental, & international. You’ve likely heard the most about the international arm of that mission, On the Ground—which tends to get the most press due to its sometimes-exotic-sounding projects (namely Run Across Ethiopia & Run Across Palestine). Over the next few weeks, I’ll fill you in on the other arms & describe our relationship with two essential Traverse City area organizations, the Michigan Land Use Institute & the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center.
In addition to MLUI, TBCAC, & OTG, here are some more organizations we’ve supported in the past year, by donating money & coffee & hosting benefit concerts in our roastery:
As part of the Higher Grounds community, you should know about our commitment to supporting projects taking place all throughout the HG world, not just far but close to home as well.
--Jennifer
