Our Story
United Grinds Coffee was born when the founder, Lorenzo Spearman, worked with social service providers and homeless shelters on Chicago’s west side. Like many under-resourced areas there were challenges to overcome, but Lorenzo, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a Windy City native from the south side, experienced one universal truth; great people are everywhere, and they each have an important story to tell. Lorenzo grew accustomed to pulling up a chair, sharing a story over a cup of coffee, and the path forward became clear – create a company that celebrates incredible coffee as the great connector and, through that, give back.
Our Mission
We believe it’s our reasonable service as humans to help those in need. To treat strangers like friends and neighbors like family. United Grinds donates a portion of each sale to support those impacted by homelessness in the Chicago area.
Every month, we have committed to funding service providers doing vital work, including:
- Covenant House of Chicago
- Beds Plus
- Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
- Franciscan Outreach
- Chicago Dream Center
- Heartland Alliance Health
You can learn more about donating directly to any of these organizations by clicking their link above. Those experiencing housing instability represent a deeply vulnerable population, facing barriers such as lack of access to health care, increased rates of preventable illness, and personal safety. United, we can make a difference.