About

our story

Charlotte Coffee Club began in December of 2020 with a simple act of compassion—and a question that would later define everything we do: what if gathering over coffee could do more than just build community—what if it could change lives?

While living in Colorado, founder Phill experienced his first true snowfall. As temperatures dropped, one thing stood out—people in the community were still unhoused, enduring the cold with little protection. Moved by what he saw, Phill shared a post on his Instagram story saying he was going to buy flannels and snacks for those on the streets. What started as a small idea quickly gained momentum, raising over $1,200 in a short time.

That moment sparked something lasting. Over the next few years, Phill continued this outreach annually, serving the unhoused during the cold season. In 2023, Jon joined him and asked a pivotal question: What would it look like to do this monthly instead of yearly? Over a cup of coffee, the two realized something simple but meaningful—they both loved coffee, community, and serving others. That conversation became the foundation for Charlotte Coffee Club.

The first official Charlotte Coffee Club gathering took place on January 13, 2023. Twelve volunteers met at The Mad Perk Coffee Shop to connect, build community, and then head into Uptown Charlotte to hand out coffee and bagels to the unhoused. What began as a small group of friends meeting over coffee quickly grew into something bigger.

Along the way, we saw a deeper need in our city: nonprofits doing incredible work but lacking consistent volunteer support, and people who wanted to serve but didn’t know where to start. Charlotte Coffee Club was created to bridge that gap.

By hosting intentional coffee meetups and donation-based events, we make serving approachable, relational, and meaningful. Each gathering connects people from all walks of life to local nonprofits working on the front lines of need—whether that’s homelessness, food insecurity, youth mentorship, or community development.

Today, Charlotte Coffee Club is a growing nonprofit rooted in faith, generosity, and the belief that community is built when people show up for one another. Over coffee, conversations turn into action—and action turns into lasting impact.

our mission

Build community over coffee to empower the city of Charlotte and support its nonprofits to love and serve our neighbors in need.

what we do

Charlotte Coffee Club exists to:

Connect people to local nonprofits through simple, welcoming coffee gatherings
Create consistent volunteer and donation pipelines for organizations serving Charlotte
Make generosity and service feel accessible, relational, and sustainable
Build a culture of community, compassion, and faith in action

our vision

We envision a city where no nonprofit lacks volunteers, no neighbor feels unseen, and community is built through everyday moments—starting with a cup of coffee.
As we grow, our goal is to expand Charlotte Coffee Club beyond one city, creating a national network that empowers communities, strengthens nonprofits, and demonstrates what it looks like to love our neighbors well.

statement of faith

Charlotte Coffee Club is a faith-based nonprofit rooted in Christian values.
We believe:

In one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully God and fully man, who lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again
That salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ
That Scripture is the inspired Word of God and the foundation for truth and life
That we are called to love God and love our neighbors, serving others with humility, generosity, and compassion

While our faith guides everything we do, Charlotte Coffee Club welcomes people of all backgrounds to participate, serve, and build community together.