At the International Language Institute (ILI) in western Massachusetts, the belief that language changes lives isn’t just a tagline—it’s a lived reality. For the immigrant and refugee students in ILI’s Free English Program, a cup of freshly brewed coffee during class break is more than a warm gesture—it’s a symbol of support, solidarity, and inclusion. That coffee? It’s from Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Company, a pioneer in fair trade, justice-rooted business, and community partnerships.
In 2017, Dean’s Beans founded the Dean’s Beans Scholarship, enabling students in ILI’s free English classes to enroll in the more advanced Intensive English Program—an opportunity many couldn’t otherwise afford. Their scholarship model has since inspired the creation of other community-based scholarships, including one started by a former board member in memory of her uncle. And to date, 40 students have benefited from this scholarship!
This partnership reflects ILI’s mission to promote intercultural understanding and inclusive language education. It also mirrors Dean’s Beans’ commitment to social justice and environmental stewardship, making the collaboration a powerful example of how local businesses and nonprofits can work together to create meaningful global and local impact.
In this article, we share highlights from our interview with Beth Spong, CEO of Dean’s Beans. Her insights reveal how a cup of coffee can be a vehicle for equity, learning, and connection.
The Heart of the Mission
Dean’s Beans was founded with the belief that business can be a vehicle for social change. How has that mission evolved over the years—and what continues to drive your work today?
Our mission remains exactly the same today! How we work to fulfill our mission has evolved in some ways over time, as technology and, unfortunately, climate change, have advanced. Our mission means that we’re always supporting smallholder farmers in 11 countries around the world, investing in farmer-led initiatives in their communities, in taking good care of our workers at Dean’s Beans, and protecting the environment in all the choices we make.
What does it mean to you personally to lead a business that puts justice, equity, and sustainability at the center?
Growing up, our parents modeled a commitment to justice and equity through their volunteer efforts in our San Diego community. I was raised knowing that making a difference matters. That value system led me to work in the nonprofit world for more than 15 years in a variety of areas of social, economic, and environmental justice. Dean’s Beans is a great fit for my personal values, and it is such an honor to be charged with carrying our founder, Dean Cycon’s, vision for the company forward.
Education as Empowerment
Dean’s Beans invests in grassroots education projects around the world. Why is education such an important focus for your company’s giving—and how does the ILI scholarship fit into that picture?
Education is an important focus because coffee farmers and cooperatives request support for it. In our long-term relationships with smallholder farmers, when discussing potential projects to strengthen their families and communities, they consistently ask for support with education, literacy, training for youth, Agroforestry education to advance cultivation practices. Additionally, education is directly linked to income levels. That’s true here in the U.S. and around the world. Education supports well being, self-confidence, and the ability to earn a better living. Our team of worker owners has narrowed down our company giving to five key priorities — education, hunger and poverty, families and children, the environment, arts and culture.
How do you see language and education contributing to a more just and inclusive society, both locally and globally?
One great example is “¡Qué Rico Leer con Cafe!” (It’s Delicious to Read with Coffee!) in Nicaragua, where we partner with Prodecoop, a cooperative of 3,500 farmers. They began a literacy program in 2016, funded by Dean’s Beans, to bring teachers and mobile libraries to remote villages, engaging over 300 children and grandchildren of coffee farmers. In 2020, they expanded to include adults when the children who learned to read in the program began teaching their parents to read at home. What began as a book mobile has now grown into permanent small libraries called “Rincones de Cuentos” (Story Corners), where children can learn to read while their parents deliver coffee beans, elevating the project’s impact in dozens of farming communities.
Here’s a graphic that tells this story. That’s me on the left reading with children who are part of ¡Qué Rico Leer con Café!
Looking to make a difference like Dean’s Beans? Consider exploring ways to give to ILI—from donating, to supporting scholarships, to volunteering your time. Every contribution supports educational equity and language access for our newest neighbors.
Local Roots, Global Reach
You’ve long worked to build community abroad through direct relationships with coffee farmers. How does supporting local initiatives like ILI’s scholarship bring that same spirit home to western Massachusetts? What’s powerful about supporting immigrants and refugees right here in your backyard?
We invest in our local and regional communities just as we support coffee producing cooperatives around the world. As a 32-year old Fair Trade and organic coffee roaster, we’re part of the global coffee community, and part of the western Massachusetts community. A significant amount of migration away from the Coffeelands is in response to poverty, climate change, war, and civil unrest. These same challenges have fueled the relocation of immigrants and refugees who now live in the Pioneer Valley. The United States is a nation of immigrants. We recognize that, celebrate the rich diversity of our country, and want to make life a little easier as people begin their lives in a new country, new community, new language.
Programs like ILI’s Free English Program for Immigrants and Refugees play a vital role in helping students strengthen their English skills so they can engage confidently in their communities, advance in work, and build meaningful relationships.
Living Your Values
Dean’s Beans became a worker-owned cooperative in 2023. How does that shift reflect the values that have always been part of your DNA?
Our company’s commitment is to put people and the planet before profit. When our Founder, the extraordinary Dean Cycon, retired, he sold the company to all 15 employees at the time. He wanted his transition to retirement to provide a long-term opportunity for employees to collaboratively build the company and build financial strength for our families. There is no change to our company mission or values. Together we are carrying Dean’s vision and legacy forward. It works so well, why would we change it?
Curious to learn more about this worker-owned, mission-driven company? Find our more about Dean’s Beans and their incredible story.
Impact and Reflection
What impact have you seen—or heard—about the scholarship so far? Are there any stories that have stuck with you?
I love attending the ILI annual Giving Voice event! It is extraordinary to hear the stories of scholarship recipients — what their lives in their countries of origin were like, what emigrating to the United States has been like, and how the Dean’s Beans Scholarship has advanced their path to the goals of meaningful work and community engagement in their new country. It’s always so inspiring!
Beth’s enthusiasm for ILI’s “Giving Voice” event reminds us why we do this work. Every student story shared at the event is a testament to the life-changing power of language and community support.
If you’re inspired to support ILI’s mission, consider volunteering or donating today. Whether you give your time or make a financial contribution, you’re helping to amplify voices and open doors.
Looking Ahead
What do you see as the future of partnerships like this one between Dean’s Beans and ILI?
We do our best to be responsive to the expressed needs of our nonprofit and community-based partners. So moving forward we will continue listening, learning, and co-creating more solutions with our nonprofit partners and other members of the business community!
If you could inspire other businesses to give back in this way, what would you tell them?
We are a nation of immigrants. In all likelihood, your ancestors moved to the United States from another country and experienced all the trials of adjusting to a new land, new language, new culture, and needing to start over again. As businesses supporting our community, we can have an impact on the immigrants and refugees arriving in the Pioneer Valley today. What a privilege to be able to make life easier for families as they adjust to live here in the States, and honor the courage and hope it took for them to make this momentous change.
These partnerships thrive because they’re built on listening and shared values. Whether you’re a business owner, educator, or community member, you can be part of this collaborative movement for social impact.
A Personal Note
If you could sit down with a Dean’s Beans scholarship recipient, what would you most want to say—or ask?
I would tell them how courageous they were to leave the life, country, and language they knew. It’s such a hard thing to do! I’d love to hear their story. And I’d ask things like, “Tell me about how learning English at ILI is giving you hope for the future? In what ways is learning English at ILI improving your life here in the U.S.?”
To read more stories like these and see the mission in action, visit our Free English Program page or explore how to get involved through our Donate and Volunteer pages.