Our Story

Like you, we hold the belief that people have priceless worth.  The fact that the average slave in the world today is sold for the equivalent of $90 is among our world’s greatest atrocities.  In the summer of 2009, Mark South approached Chad Salstrom with an idea.  A vision for once disconnected individuals in a fragmented city collaborating together, sacrificing from their freedom, to give the gift of freedom. Two years later, a growing community had rallied to open Origin Coffee, a place where everyone works for free to set victims free.

Why a Coffee Shop?

Origin Coffee is designed to utilize our greatest weapon in the fight against sex-trafficking – passionate, selfless people.  Therefore we need as many people involved as possible.  And not just for a night or for a season but for an entire generation.   A generational movement of people, passionate about ending sexual exploitation.

Naturally being a place where  relationships flow, a coffee shop became the hub for the mission.  This issue is not just part of what our business does, but the reason our business exists.

How we empower a Movement of People.

We are essentially a sending organization.  We strategically send to generate, equip, and expand a movement of people for a generation of fighting. Here how we do it:

Story Telling– Our sending begins with raising our voices.  We tell two primary stories.  The first is the reality of the emergency of sex trafficking in our world.  Sadly, many still do not know or are choosing not to hear.  Secondly, we share what our community is doing about it. Origin Coffee has become an inspiration for thousands who want to use their everyday lives to the benefit of the broken, poor and oppressed.

There are now hundreds of excellent organizations playing their part in the eradication of the commercial sex trade.  Ordinary individuals struck by the story of the victims, now doing something about it.  Never underestimate what the awakening of the heart to this issue can lead to.

At Origin we not only train baristas, we train story-tellers.  Our volunteers become voices amongst their families, friends, and social circles.  Everywhere we go, every platform we are given, becomes a chance for more people to hear the facts along with an invitation to join the movement.  Through relationships, media, and the internet, literally over a million people have heard our stories.  And hundreds have been trained through the vehicle of Origin Coffee — and this is only year 1.

Resources - We also send tangible resources to the most effective people entrenched in the fight around the world.

Jobs (and new beginnings): In the long and messy process of rehabilitation, Origin has facilitated job training for individuals.  This becomes a critical piece in the reintegration process.  Having a skill and a trade is a powerful tool to provide options in life other than returning to the sex-trade.

Beautiful hand crafted products are also sold within Origin.  Providing profits, jobs and funding for recovery homes such as Sak Saum in Cambodia.  These products display the creativity, talent and potential that was once bound, and is now flourishing.  They symbolize what redemption looks like.

Profits: We pay our overhead and then send away.  Little by little.  Cup by Cup.  Our profits go to International Justice Mission, the leading organization in the abolition of the sex-trade.

People – Throughout our organization is the belief that people are created with unique and distinct worth.  We believe this is true for our city and for those across the globe.  That is why our greatest impact is the passionate people who will be sent out of the Origin Coffee family.  One life, filled with talent, resolve, and creativity, given to the cause will long surpass the quantifiable numbers distributed through the coffee shop.