Mariposa Center For Girls

Dear Friends,

The Mariposa DR Foundation is excited to announce that the Mariposa Center for Girls is expanding its campus to a new satellite location! Mariposa is now the proud owner of the Cabarete Coffee Company, our social enterprise and sustainable business! All profits from Cabarete Coffee benefit the Mariposa Foundation and the Mariposa girls use the cafe as a “real life” classroom. With expanded job opportunities, education and leadership training, the Mariposa girls are poised for success now more than ever!

Mariposa Founder, Patricia Thorndike Suriel, and her family opened Cabarete Coffee Company in 2009 as a small neighborhood business. Almost instantly it became a place where the community gathered together. The shade-grown organic coffee beans of the Suriel family farm became a fan favorite. Coffee shop regulars loved the flavor, the amazing health benefits from high-quality joe and keeping their business local. 

From the start, Cabarete Coffee has remained committed to sustainable business practices and environmental stewardship. The Mariposa Foundation is proud to continue with this tradition and to educate customers on how a simple cup of coffee can support farmers, protect the earth, empower girls and lift communities out of poverty! Who knew that your morning joe or a coffee shop job in high school could hold such purpose?

This coffee shop is also where the Mariposa DR Foundation was born and grew its wings. Before Mariposa had the Mariposa Center for Girls, Cabarete Coffee served as the headquarters for staff, volunteers and invested community members to share ideas and create change. Now, almost ten years later, Cabarete Coffee has become the Mariposa Foundation’s latest innovation for educating, employing and empowering girls. Cabarete Coffee Company enables the Mariposas to learn and work in the hospitality and tourism business. Through barista and cooking classes, internships, marketing and business training, the Mariposas take part in hands on learning, gaining important and marketable work experience. 

In Cabarete and the Dominican Republic, one of the factors that can leave women and girls vulnerable is the lack of dignified, fair wage work. Sadly, far too many young women are trapped in the sex trafficking industry at a young age and never make it out. Other women and girls are relegated to selling used clothing, lottery tickets, or fruit and vegetables at a local stand. With these jobs, it is a constant struggle to make ends meet and put food on the table. Mariposa interrupts this cycle by educating girls. Yet, this is only half the battle if there is no dignified work in town. Cabarete Coffee Company creates new and expansive possibilities for the oldest Mariposas, who not only gain an experiential learning classroom, but a chance for meaningful work that sustains their family and the community. 

At Mariposa we know that any challenges we face must be met with creativity. We are so grateful to you all, our donors, who believe in the important work we are doing and continue to invest in change. Together, we are able to create jobs, spread our mission and give back to the community - all while empowering the world’s most powerful force for change! 

With gratitude, 

The Mariposa girls, family, staff and volunteers