SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- In February, we spoke to Jelynn Malone from Mostra Coffee after her coffee shop won best roaster in the U.S. by Roast Magazine. Since then, things for small businesses like hers have been touch and loyal customers including high school juniors, Siya and Anoushka, wanted to help.
"A lot of businesses were closing. We both brainstormed about how we could help local businesses who have helped us in the past," said Anoushka."
So they created a campaign called Loving the Locals.
"We started a GoFund Me page and reached out to friends and family who were able to donate. With that money, we were able to donate to Mostra Coffee."
And when Malone was ready to meet her donors she said, "I'm looking for adults, they didn't give me their names or tell me how much and I see these two young high school girls and they're like 'Are you Jelynn?'"
To describe Malone as surprised was an understatement.
"Then they hand over this large check to me and it says a thousand dollars and I'm completely shocked. I'm emotional, touched," Malone described.
Malone's no stranger to giving back. A portion of her profits goes to farmers in the Phillippines, where she sources a lot of her product from. When the pandemic began, she donated gratitude boxes to frontline workers. All of her efforts never went unnoticed, even by young customers.
"They [Mostra Coffee] continue to give back to community even during these difficult times and we felt that quality was important to us and it's what we were going for. We shared similar values and they were a great fit for us," Siya said.
Mostra Coffee is the first business Loving the Locals has donated to. They have a GoFund Me and all profits will go to another small business once their goal is met.
