Conexion Americas launches special edition of "Rumba Roast" coffee Tuesday at 2pm at Bongo Java

J.A. Yances donates original oil painting to raffle

Ticket and coffee sales benefit Latino families

Local nonprofit Conexión Americas will launch a special edition of its Cafe Rumba Roast organic, fair trade coffee on Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Bongo Java, 107 S. 11th Street in East Nashville.

The Special Edition Cafe Rumba Roast features original art on the package from renowned artist J. A. Yances, based on Yances’ oil painting “Tucán Colores de la Selva” (Toucan Colors of the Jungle).

“The Special Edition of Cafe Rumba Roast is a one-of-a-kind present for the coffee connoisseurs or the community-minded on your gift list,” said Renata Soto, executive director of Conexión Americas. “Your friends will love the coffee, and you’ll support Conexión Americas, a local nonprofit. Your gift to our community will last far beyond the holidays.”

Yances has donated the painting, valued at $8,000, to Conexión Americas. Art-lovers will have a chance to own the painting with a $10 donation to the nonprofit. Tickets are limited to 2,000 and are available until December 15, 2009.

Tickets and the Special Edition of Cafe Rumba Roast can be purchased online (www.conexionamericas.org) by phone at 615-320-5152 or at Conexión Americas’ office at 800 18th Avenue South. The coffee is also available at Ten Thousand Villages, 3900 Hillsboro Road in Green Hills.

Proceeds from ticket and coffee sales support Conexión Americas' mission to help local Latino families; these entrepreneurial initiatives reduce the nonprofit’s dependence on donations.

About Conexión Americas:

Conexión Americas is a nonprofit dedicated to helping Latino families realize their aspirations for social and economic advancement by promoting their integration into the Middle Tennessee community. The organization provides Latino families with education, local resources, support networks and opportunities for advancement. Learn more at www.conexionamericas.org

About Cafe Rumba Roast:

Cafe Rumba Roast is the result of an unusual partnership between Conexión Americas and Bongo Java Roasting Company. Organic coffee beans are purchased at a fair price from Latin American farmers and are roasted in Nashville by Bongo Java.