Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Salutes Local Teachers

If you're a hard-working teacher who might often need that after-school pick-me-up, has just the thing for you this week. From June 6-10, all 24 Orange County locations will offer a free cup of OC Blend coffee or Sunshine tea from 3 to 6 p.m. to anyone showing a teacher's ID or professional certification.

"With the summer rapidly approaching and the long school year wrapping up, it is a great time to thank teachers, the heroes of our local schools, and celebrate the difference they make every day," said Mel Elias, president and CEO of The Coffee Bea and Tea Leaf. "Teachers are some of the hardest working individuals in our community. Honoring them with the OC Blend is a perfect way to say, 'Thank you.' We created  the OC Blend as a homegrown, heartfelt and direct way that we, as a company, can give back to the Orange County neighborhoods that our stores serve through a variety of local activities throughout the year."

In February, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf launched the OC Blend coffee and tea. These exclusive blends were specifically developed for Orange County, and benefit local area schools throughout 2011. Each of the chain's 24 county locations selected a nearby school that will benefit from the sales of the OC Blend coffee and tea. The principal of each school, ranging from elementary through middle to high school, identified the greatest need of that particular school. The monies raised from the OC Blend will be used to help fill that gap. Those needs range from computer labs and art supplies through supporting ASB and leadership development, to music and science programs. The OC Blend campaign goes through November.