November Fire Dept. Coffee Club and Shirt Club: Giving Back to Madison Area Fire Fighters

The T-shirt got everything started.

More than a year ago, in the summer of 2023, we launched our Fire Department Coffee Club and Fire Department Shirt Club through a collaboration with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department. The T-shirt and coffee bag design united two things Wisconsin is known for — cheese and football — along with, of course, firefighting.

The shirt looked especially great. That’s why, months later and nearly three hours away, it caught the eye of Lieutenant Kevin McDonald when he saw someone wearing it. Questions were asked and answered. New conversations began. Connections were made.

Now we’re excited to announce that for November 2024, the Fire Department Coffee Foundation is giving back to Madison area and surrounding community firefighters with our Fire Department Coffee Club and Shirt Club. Their organization supports members of the Madison Fire Department and 14 surrounding communities in Dane County, Wisconsin.

Every purchase through the Fire Dept. Coffee Club contributes $2, while each Fire Dept. Shirt Club purchase contributes $5. Every dollar is so important, so let’s make those purchases and subscriptions add up.

Like many fire departments across the country, Madison area firefighters have been hit hard by cancer and PTSD in their ranks. They’ve lost some of their own to illness or other tragic events through the years. Others are still battling day after day.

Their organization always answers the call in any way it can. So we’re proud to create a hand-crafted coffee and custom-designed T-shirt for Madison — aka Madtown — a town McDonald describes as “a mid-sized city surrounded by reality.”

We encourage you to drink the coffee and wear the shirt. You never know who might see it and how that might lead to more giving back in the communities where you live and work.

Standing with Firefighters Facing Life’s Biggest Challenges

McDonald joined the Madison Fire Department at age 20 and has spent two decades on the job. Over the years, he saw the impact that Fire Fighters Local 311 Charities was making in the community and within the departments it serves.?

He got involved gradually, and then he went all in. For the last 5 years, he’s served atop the organization’s board. He helps coordinate all their outreach, fundraising, and philanthropy.

“As a young firefighter, I got to see the brotherhood and sisterhood of the fire service,” he said. “As years went by, I got more involved, and I loved it.”

In recent years, Madison area first responders have had two firefighters pass away unexpectedly. One was a Line-of-Duty Death, the other an active-duty death. The organization was able to support the families in many ways, including creating a scholarship fund for the kids of a member who passed away while participating in an Iron Man competition.

The Madison area first responders have had multiple members diagnosed with cancer, including a member who has battled an aggressive form of colon cancer. Prior to one of her surgeries, more than 200 area firefighters gathered at the hospital to show support, lift her spirits, and encourage her to keep fighting.

The organization does all it can to support her in any way possible. It may mean providing meals or transportation. It may mean pitching in to take care of the yard work. Sometimes, it means covering the costs of a spa day … because the little things can make a big difference.

In and around Madison, multiple first responders are facing the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis or working through post-traumatic stress brought about by the harsh realities of the job. It’s never easy. Yet they always know that Madison area first responders and 311 Charities have their back.

The group holds fundraising efforts throughout the year, highlighted by its annual Fire + Ice Ball, which is held in January and raises a large portion of the funds that drive their charitable work throughout the year.

“We have a lot of support around here,” McDonald said. “We work hard to raise all this money because our No. 1 goal is to take care of our members. If there’s any money left over, it goes toward youth programs.”

Next-Gen Responders is a program focused on low-income or at-risk youth, particularly those interested in a career as a first responder. The goal is to teach them the basics of the job while giving them the drive and motivation to stay in school and keep working hard.

Madtown Coffee: A Tribute to Firefighters and Their Amazing City

We’re calling November’s Coffee Club roast “Madtown,” and it’s a special blend of Brazilian and Peruvian coffee, featuring notes of milk chocolate, vanillan and molasses. The design for this month’s Shirt Club honors Madison’s status as Wisconsin’s state capital and home of its flagship university, as well as its unique geography.

The shirt is red and the front shows off a firefighting badger with the state capitol building in the background. The design is framed inside a firefighting shield, surrounded by splashes of water because the heart of Madison lies on a narrow isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.

The coffee is delicious. The shirt is amazing. Show some love for Madtown in November!

Place an order today or, better yet, join the Fire Dept. Coffee Club and Fire Dept. Shirt Club. It’s a win-win because you’ll get great coffee and gear, and you’ll be giving back each month, all year long.

“This collaboration means we can help even more—especially those battling cancer or mental health issues,” McDonald said. “It allows us to support our members and their families when they need it most.”