#tcbtl

sundate💙

As the Christmas season approaches and a new year draws near, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® reminds us that life is not about what we amass for ourselves, but about how we can share our gifts, talents, and time with others. From October 22, 2016 onwards, customers can begin their Giving Journey as they can start collecting stamps for the 2017 Giving Journal in all The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® stores. Each stamp card consists of 12 circles with corresponding purchased drink assignments. All 12 stamps must be accumulated in one stamp card to claim the journal. A box of CBTL™ capsules earns the customer two stamps, while any CBTL™ Single Serve Beverage System purchase automatically allows a customer to claim the 2017 Giving Journal.

When I was growing up in Polillo Island, Quezon, we did not have the luxury of 24-hour electricity. There were only certain hours within the day when power was supplied so we had to reply on candles just to study at night. Every Filipino has the fundamental right to have a nurturing and safe home. And yet, with majority of the Philippine population living below the poverty line, a great number of Filipinos struggle without a permanent roof under their heads to call their home, or do have a home yet is lacking in the basic amenities that would provide them an adequate standard of living, such as electricity. Without light in every Filipino family’s home, numerous facets of their lives are affected. That is why, when we give them light, in many ways, we believe we give them back their lives. Recognizing the contribution of light in every individual’s quality of life, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® celebrated Earth Day by partnering with Liter of Light (literoflight.org), a global grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable light to people with limited or no access to electricity. Customers of all ages acted as solar engineers by building their own solar-powered lamps for a day, in the hopes of giving the precious gift of light to those in need.

After the workshop, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®’s own Team Members hiked to bring the newly-built solar powered lamps to the Dumagat tribe’s village in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. Their visit gave them the opportunity to witness first-hand the life-altering impact their initiative made on the community. “Light is so valuable. Without it, it is impossible for us to do anything at night. Since we don't have electricity, we sleep early. We can't work and the children cannot study,” Councilor Michael Fernando shared. The community was overcome with gratitude for the solar powered lamps they received. I was able to personally meet the founder of Liter of Light, Mr. Illac Diaz a few months ago and I was really amazed and touched with his passion and determination to reach out to far-flung communities and spread the gift of light. 

Oh February! It seems like a year to me but in reality, it was just about 4 months.

Remember when I was so excited to plan my wedding? Hahaha! Ino proposed on December 25 and a few weeks after that excitement took over me and I don’t know. I really don’t know what happened to me. I just started contacting people and making plans.

Now that four months have passed, a lot has happened and I’m not…