So you’ve passed by it on your way to the School of Education and you’ve passed it on your way into campus from Puffton. Naturally, you must be wondering what exactly that cute little house across from the School of Ed is… The Freedom Café, located on 768 North Pleasant Street in Amherst, is a relatively new non-profit, donation-based coffee shop. Having opened in 2011, The Freedom Café is one of its kind on the UMass campus in that it donates all its profits to a worthy cause: working to end human trafficking, specifically in India.
Working in partnership with The Jubilee Market, the money that is raised by The Freedom Café is put to fantastic use, both in raising awareness about such an important issue, as well as in helping to create Rescue/Vocational Centers for young Indian women and child victims. These centers provide women and children with medical attention, vocational training, English lessons, and physical, emotional, and spiritual care. While these centers train women and children in a specific trade, they also allow them the opportunity to escape sex slavery and eventually find a job of their own on which they can support themselves.
Each one of these vocational centers costs an estimated $18,000. It is the goal of The Freedom Café to build two or more of these centers every two years. While this is a difficult task, workers at the Café are dedicated to the cause.
In partnering with The Jubilee Market, The Freedom Café is currently helping to educate men in the communities where sex trafficking is prevalent as well as helping to educate families about why sex trafficking is so dangerous. In addition, the café is working with law enforcement to enforce child labor and under-aged prostitution laws.
Next time you pass by The Freedom Café , go on in, check it out, and support this awesome business! It’s amazing what your daily coffee money can do.
Interested in helping the Freedom Café reach their goal? Feeling inspired to make a difference in the lives of the trapped women and child sex slaves? Wish you could give more than just a donation? Good news: The Freedom Café is looking for volunteer baristas! Donate a few hours of your week to making yummy coffee drinks and you’ll be on your way to ending human trafficking. Freedom never tasted so good!
768 N Pleasant St
Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 345-2999