“It’s not a planner, it’s a Giving Journal. The essence is really giving to the community and our customers,” Nella Lomotan, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s communities and engagement manager, said. “It has been that way ever since. It’s not about what it is, it’s who it’s for and what it does.”
Real Life Foundation, an organization that provides educational assistance for the less fortunate, has been the Giving Journal’s beneficiary since 2011. “Our beneficiary hasn’t changed because we believe in sustainability, it’s about the future. At The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, we believe in education, that knowledge is power and it’s foundational to building a nation of empowered individuals. We’re actually building a nation. We don’t want to stop after five years, we want to continue sending scholars to school through our Giving Journal,” Nella said.
The journal’s theme this year is generosity—something The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Philippines team feels strongly about. Nella said, “It’s not just a marketing stint to us. It’s encouraging our customers to get into the spirit of giving through the Giving Journal. We’re encouraging a life of generosity so it becomes part of who you are. We’re here to challenge people. We really hope to inspire people.”
It goes beyond the pages of the journal: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf also offers opportunities for their customers to join them during their outreach projects. They hike to deliver water filters to families with no access to clean water, they recently spent time with the elderly at a home in Marikina City.
The Giving Journal has passionate followers who use the different editions year after year. Nella talked about how fulfilling it is to hear from users who make it a part of their lives. “It’s a medium for change, not just for the Real Life scholars but for the users who use the journals. We get testimonials, they cry. We see lives being transformed.”
This year’s Giving Journal features four covers including our favorite cork ones. The inside pages offer weekly inspiration, words of wisdom and also highlight the artwork of some of their customers. “We have a community of creative people, those who engage with us through our events. We’re very big about engaging with our community through all our initiatives. We make sure we give them a spotlight to shine, so they can hone their talents. For this year’s journal, all the monthly dividers are by customers. It’s their artistic interpretation of generosity.”
The challenge for the team behind the Giving Journal is to keep improving year after year. “Every year we just have to keep making it better, we ask ourselves all the time, how do we make this as impactful as it can be for the community? ’Yung mapapaisip talaga sila about their lives and how they’re serving,” Nella said.
Redeem a 2019 Giving Journal by collecting 12 stamps on one stamp card. Stamps are given for every purchase of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf beverages, Ready Coffee Box, CBTL Capsule Box or CBTL Single Serve Beverage System. The 2019 Giving Journal may be claimed at any The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store until Jan. 6, 2019. It can also be purchased for P1,999.