Full Breakdown
Portland Coffee Shop Withdraws from Gaza Café Initiative After Community Backlash
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Heretic Coffee, a Southeast Portland café, announced in mid-September that it would partner with the humanitarian nonprofit HUMANITE Peace Collective to fund a free-coffee and meal venue in Gaza called the Dept. of Peace. After receiving “responses, concerns, and frustrations” from local patrons, owner Josh White said the shop is ending the partnership and will no longer pursue the Gaza project. HUMANITE will continue the effort independently, using the donations already collected.
Background and Community Reaction
The collaboration was promoted as a way to raise $100,000 for the Gaza gathering space, mirroring Heretic’s local community-service model. Within days, community members criticized the lack of prior consultation and questioned the appropriateness of a Portland business fundraising for a conflict-zone initiative. White acknowledged that the project’s rollout on social media had not included local feedback, prompting the backlash that led to the cancellation.
Official Statements & Responses
In a statement posted on Thursday, White explained that the decision to part ways was reached mutually with HUMANITE earlier in the week. He said the nonprofit will retain the money already raised—more than $24,000 according to Heretic’s reports—and will seek additional funds to keep the Gaza café plan alive. White also noted that a portion of the donations had already supported a children’s event at an orphanage in Gaza.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have been working behind the scenes to sort through the responses, concerns, and frustrations that have arisen following the announcement of our collaboration with Humanite Peace Collective,” — Josh White
- “I should have brought this to our community first and gotten feedback on this before we went forward,” — Josh White
What’s Next
Heretic Coffee will refocus its charitable activities on local projects in Portland. HUMANITE Peace Collective has pledged to continue fundraising for the Dept. of Peace, aiming to meet its original $100,000 target without the café’s involvement.