Hella Good Cup coffee benefits
$1 Per Bag • Every Order Gives Back
Your Coffee Can Help End Homelessness — Every Sip Makes a Difference
Fuel your day and fund real solutions. Every bag you buy from Hella Good Cup donates $1 to organizations fighting homelessness — powering emergency rent relief, move-in deposits, legal aid, and rapid rehousing.
Every order gives back. Subscriptions amplify your impact month after month.
Ethically roasted, café-quality coffee shipped to your door
$1 per bag supports prevention, deposits, and rapid rehousing
Flexible subscription options
Every order
$1
to fight homelessness
Subscriptions
Ongoing
monthly impact
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Updates
on impact
The Leading Causes of Homelessness
1) Lack of Affordable Housing
Rental prices have outpaced wage growth for decades. In most states, a full-time worker earning minimum wage cannot afford a modest one-bedroom apartment at fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income — the federal affordability benchmark.
2) Poverty & Low Wages
Many unhoused individuals are employed — sometimes full-time — but still cannot secure or maintain stable housing. Rising living costs, stagnant wages, and unpredictable work hours leave little room for emergencies, let alone saving for deposits.
3) Evictions & Housing Instability
Sudden job loss, illness, or landlord disputes can lead to eviction. Without legal or financial support, families can lose their homes quickly. In New York City, tenants with legal representation are 89% more likely to avoid displacement.
4) Domestic Violence
Survivors fleeing for safety often leave behind jobs, belongings, and stable housing. Without immediate, safe options, many face shelter stays or unsafe living situations.
5) Upfront Housing Costs
Even if someone can afford monthly rent, the first month's rent, last month's rent, and a security deposit — often totaling thousands of dollars — can block the path to housing for months or years.
6) Systemic Barriers
Mental health challenges, discrimination in the rental market, and lack of access to affordable healthcare or transportation keep many people trapped in homelessness.
The Cost of Homelessness
- Financially: Emergency shelter, medical care, and law enforcement can cost $35,000–$50,000 per person annually — often more than providing permanent housing.
- Physically & Mentally: Chronic stress, unsafe conditions, and limited healthcare contribute to higher illness rates and shorter life expectancy.
- Emotionally: The instability erodes self-worth, hope, and connection, making recovery harder.
Where Hella Good Cup Comes In
- Keep families housed with emergency rental assistance.
- Cover move-in costs (first/last month and security deposits).
- Fund rapid rehousing to move people from shelters to stable homes.
- Support survivors of domestic violence with safe, immediate housing.
- Provide mental health, job readiness, and support services.
How Your Purchase Helps (By the Dollar)
Prevents evictions: Pooled dollars support legal representation and emergency rent aid — in NYC, 89% of represented households avoided eviction.1
Unlocks housing: Move-in costs like first/last month and security deposits are a key barrier; with U.S. typical rent ≈ $2,100 and deposits ≈ one month, upfront costs often exceed $3,500.2, 3, 4
Funds stability: Supportive housing and rapid rehousing reduce time homeless and improve outcomes, while lowering long-run public costs (~$35k+/yr without stable housing).5
Each $1 from your bag is combined with thousands more to fund proven solutions — preventing evictions, covering deposits, and moving people rapidly into stable homes.
The Reality in Numbers
40–60%
Employed yet unhoused
Adults experiencing homelessness who worked during the year they experienced homelessness.6, 7
$3,500+
Move-in barrier
Typical rent ≈ $2,100 and deposits ≈ one month's rent — many markets also require first/last month.2, 3, 4
$35k–$50k
Public cost
Estimated average annual taxpayer cost per person experiencing chronic homelessness; supportive housing reduces costs.5
89%
Prevention works
NYC tenants with full legal representation who avoided displacement in FY2024.1
- NYC Comptroller, Evictions Up, Representation Down (May 2, 2025). 89% of represented households avoided eviction. Source
- Zillow Rentals, U.S. typical rent ≈ $2,100 (Aug 13, 2025). Source
- Baselane, typical security deposit ≈ one month's rent (May 27, 2025). Source
- Michigan Legislature Tenant/Landlord Guide: some leases require first and last month's rent paid upfront (2024). Source
- National Alliance to End Homelessness, Ending Chronic Homelessness Saves Taxpayers Money (Feb 17, 2017). Avg ≈ $35,578/yr; savings in supportive housing. Source
- NAEH Blog summarizing Univ. of Chicago analysis: 53% sheltered and 40% unsheltered employed (2021 study). Source
- Urban Institute, employment among people experiencing homelessness (2023–2024 analysis). Source
- HUD, 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR), Part 1 — PIT count. Source
Our Partner in Action: Coalition for the Homeless
Hella Good Cup proudly supports the Coalition for the Homeless — one of several not-for-profit partners we donate to as part of our mission to end homelessness. The Coalition pairs direct services with long-term advocacy to help New Yorkers move from crisis to stability.
Food: Grand Central Food Program
Mobile outreach serving hot, nutritious meals nightly across NYC — often the only hot meal many unhoused neighbors receive that day — plus clothing and basic necessities.
Crisis Services & Prevention
Eviction Prevention keeps families housed with rent relief and legal support; Crisis Intervention provides walk-in help with benefits, referrals, and immediate needs.
Housing & Supportive Services
Coalition Houses provide permanent supportive housing with on-site case management, helping formerly homeless adults maintain stability and health.
Job Training: First Step
A workforce program that equips women experiencing homelessness or deep poverty with office skills, internships, and career support to secure living-wage jobs.
Youth: Camp Homeward Bound
Summer camp for children from homeless shelters, building confidence and community with safe outdoor experiences, enrichment, and support.
Advocacy & Policy
Research-driven advocacy that advances Right to Shelter protections, expands rental assistance, and pushes for affordable housing investments that prevent homelessness long-term.
Coalition for the Homeless programs overview and details: coalitionforthehomeless.org/our-programs. Hella Good Cup donates to the Coalition and other vetted not-for-profit partners aligned with housing, prevention, and recovery.
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