CoffeeAuthorities "Operation Cuppa Joe For The USO" Mission Is To Collect, Donate And Distribute One Million Pounds Of Gourmet Coffee To Support US Troops Stateside & Abroad

NEWPORT COAST, CA, January 15, 2011 (Press-News.org) CoffeeAuthorities, a Premier Specialty Coffee Brand & Retail Development firm kicks off its efforts to collect, donate and distribute over One Million Pounds of Specialty Gourmet Coffee to all military branches stateside and abroad throughout 2011. CoffeeAuthorities will work with growers, roasters, retailers and ancillary coffee companies to raise awareness, coffee donations, raise funds and drive foot traffic to participating retailers to support this program. The company will launch its yearlong Operation Coffee at Coffee Fest Sixty in Chicago with the support of its partner the USO of Illinois who will be providing volunteers, logistics, and community support to get coffee to the men and women of our military.

CoffeeAuthorities mission will be to set up coffee collection points throughout the city coffee shops and Cafe's as well and from over 500 exhibitors at the Specialty Coffee Trade Show. All whole bean coffee donations then will be distributed to U.S. Armed Forces members from all branches of service- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard- throughout the USO of Illinois' five USO Center facilities: USO Navy Pier, USO Great Lakes, USO Midway, USO O'Hare and USO Cyber Canteen at O'Hare airport.

"We're extremely proud of our service men and women stationed around the world keeping us safe and making the ultimate sacrifice," said David Cook, CoffeeAuthorities CEO. There's no greater sacrifice that our military personnel and families make to keep us out of clear and present danger. Showing them honor and appreciation is the greatest gift we can give them. Coffee is an inherent part of our culture and a very social part of this country and reminds them of home and family and friends."

The Company will be initiating coffee collection, coffee donation and distribution through 18,000+ coffee shops and cafe's throughout the United State to provide a steady flow of coffee to troops deployed worldwide. This is a 100% volunteer operation and the Company is seeking Corporate Sponsors who can support its efforts while being able to write off their donations via the USO of Illinois' 501 (c) 3 non-profit status.

About CoffeeAuthorities
CoffeeAuthorities has 30 years expertise activating consumer retail brands. The Company is focused on the Specialty Coffee Brand & Retail Development market and helps existing, new and emerging brands create distribution, retail and wholesale channels to activate sales revenues. For more information about CoffeeAuthorities please visit http://www.coffeeauthorities.com or add via http://www.facebook.com/coffee.authorities.

About USO Illinois
The mission of the USO of Illinois is to enhance the quality of life of the U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families and to create a cooperative relationship between U.S. military communities and involved or supporting civilian communities. The USO of Illinois annually serves more than 300,000 active duty, guard and reserved military and military families and coordinates more than 300 programs and services, year-round at five USO Centers: USO Navy Pier, USO Midway, USO Great Lakes, USO O'Hare, and now the USO AA Cyber Canteen O'Hare. The USO (United Service Organizations) is a 501 (c) (3) registered nonprofit organization that receives no direct government funding. For more information, please visit: http://www.uso.org/illinois

About USO
Throughout our country's history, Americans have felt profound appreciation and
gratitude for the dedication and sacrifice of our troops and their families. The USO provides a tangible way for all of us to say thank you, as it has for almost 70 years. Thanks to your generosity, the USO fulfills its mission of lifting the spirits of America's troops and their families. Through the USO, you touch their lives through an extensive range of programs at more than 150 centers in 27 countries, and at hundreds of entertainment events each year. Thousands of USO volunteers do everything possible to provide a home away from home for our troops and to keep them connected to the families they left behind.

The USO makes sure your help goes to those who need it the most: troops serving in combat, their families, our wounded warriors and their families, and families of the fallen. As a nonprofit, non-political organization, the USO is now, and always will be, about our troops.

About Coffee Fest

Coffee Fest has been celebrating coffee long before coffee was "hot". In 1992, they gathered coffee professionals together in Seattle for their first consumer coffee festival. After several years of hosting thriving events, Coffee Fest turned its focus toward the specialty coffee, gourmet tea and alternative beverage industry and brought retailers, distributors and manufacturers together for its first retail trade show in 1998. With a mission to help attendees build and refine their specialty coffee businesses, they coupled a relevant educational program with a convivial trade show floor to create a successful show that serves as a touchstone for many in the specialty coffee industry. "The little coffee show that could" hosts three annual trade shows across all regions of the country. Coffee Fest remains the industry's top-performing show, consistently providing retailers with relevant information to hone their business skills and up their bottom line.