TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Blessed Grounds Coffee along Grant Road and Fairview Avenue in Tucson has built more than a coffee business. For Armando Moreno, the shop is a vehicle forgiving back — to the community, and to the small farms that make the coffee possible.
"I can't hoard the blessing to myself, I have to give it back," Moreno said.
Moreno has been with Blessed Grounds Coffee for years, starting out as a wholesale market before expanding to operate a front-of-house coffee shop on select days. The business buys directly from small farms around the world, cutting out the middleman on coffee bean imports.
"We do donate some of our proceeds to the small farms that we buy from," Moreno said.
Those farms span multiple countries.
"Even about and abroad like Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico," Moreno said.
Blessed Grounds also maintains a strong partnership with the Gospel Rescue Mission — a connection that is personal for Moreno.
"That's an awesome partnership that I get to, every two weeks, go drop off coffee and see my students," Moreno said.
The business has not been immune to economic pressures. Countries including Colombia and Mexico have been hit with tariffs ranging from 10 to 15 percent on imports. Still, Moreno said the challenges have not shaken his commitment to the mission.
"It has affected but again we're talking about blessings and I believe that this business has been blessed for us to have the means and the provision and to continue to buy," Moreno said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
——
Marc Monroy joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist after moving from KGUN 9’s sister station, KXXV, in Waco, Texas. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, in 2024 with a degree in journalism. A native of Southern California and a bilingual reporter, Marc is excited to serve Southern Arizona and looks forward to connecting with neighbors in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Marc by emailing marc.monroy@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
