Baja California

'Suspended Coffee' movement reaches Tijuana

Learn more about Café Pendiente and its coffee sharing

BAJA CALIFORNIA.- There's a new grassroots coffee-fed movement brewing in the world, and now making its way into Baja's restaurants and coffee shops; someone purchases two cups of coffee, takes one and leaves the other "suspended" or "pending" in hopes that someone in dire need or on the streets will pick it up.

It's called "Suspended Coffee", a philanthropic movement cooked up (or, actually, reborn) in Naples, Italy in 2008, described by NPR as "Pay it Forward with a cup of Joe", although no one has to "repay" their debt to anyone.

Although several reports have placed the origin of this tradition as far back as 100 years ago and up until the Second World War, it has recently been incorporated back into European cafés and restaurants after 2008 when the Eurozone Crisis hit and left thousands out in the cold.

It got a big boost this year after Starbucks in the U.K. announced it would be participating in the coffee sharing agreement, by signaling which of its shops participate in the program. Although, it will be slightly different because Starbucks will be delivering the "pending" coffees to a specific charity and not to anyone who comes asking for one.

In Mexico, the movement is being called "Café Pendiente", and although not part of the European main movement, it is being coordinated by Fabiola Kun, who is focusing mostly on simply strengthening the tradition here as a grassroots initiative and official movement, not just as a "fad" on social media but something more permanent that would allow all participating cities and establishments to stay in contact, exchange experiences, opinions, advise and more in order to improve the project.

There are currently 92 establishments participating in the "Café Pendiente" movement in Mexico, and Baja is no exception. In Tijuana, there are three locales: Tortas El Turco, the Centro Cultural Artes del Libro and the used book coffe shop, El Grafógrafo, the first in the city to participate in the event.

Its official Facebook page is here in Baja California and on their site you can take a look at the complete list of participating locations.

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The English name comes from the Italian word "sospeso", meaning "in suspense".

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jorge.guevara@sandiegored.com

jose.sanchez@sandiegored.com

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