Java Joy to partner with Origin Coffee Bar to spread joy in Savannah
Beginning in November, Java Joy will be “In Good Company” as they partner with Origin Coffee Bar to spread Joy. In 2020, Origin Coffee Bar started in Savannah. What began as a mobile coffee bar and a dream between husband and wife team, Matt and Elise, became a hub for a community loved by many. Java Joy, a mobile coffee cart launched by ESP, Inc in 2016, opened its fourth location in Savannah last year. The two businesses found they have common ground in their commitment to brightening people’s days, no matter how quick the interaction.
The first “Joy Hours” for Origin Coffee Bar and Java Joy will be hosted November 3rd, 2026 from 1-3pm at Origin Coffee Bar in Savannah, GA. Community members are invited to come, celebrate, and catch the joy.
Joy Hours are a way for local businesses, like Origin, to support Java Joy’s mission of providing employment opportunities for people of all abilities. Joyristas™, Joy and Barista put together, are employees of Java Joy. During Joy Hours, Joyristas will work alongside Origin employees, gaining additional employment experience. “The simple act of just making someone’s coffee can be such a transformational experience,” Matt Higgins, Owner of Origin Coffee Bar said.
Origin Coffee Bar has become a household name in the Savannah area, and for the second year in a row, the business has been voted Savannah’s Best Coffee shop. The organization has also launched a second location in Hilton Head, SC.
Both Origin and Java Joy focus on brightening their customers’ days through brief moments of connection. Origin represents that mission with their slogan “Always in Good Company”.
“‘Always in Good Company’ is something that is really near and dear to my heart which is why it holds the spot as a tagline for our whole business,” Higgins said. “Coffee is a conduit for community, and we have the opportunity to use that as a vessel for connection in our lives.”
Java Joy and the ESP community are excited for the joyful future with Origin.
“We are thrilled to have Origin as our Java Joy partner here in Savannah! To have a local business connect so meaningfully with our mission means so much to us. The whole Origin team has been awesome to work with, and I feel so grateful to have Elise and Matt on our team to propel Java Joy forward,” Katie Rudder Fender, ESP Executive Director in Savannah said.
Spreading Joy in Savannah
Java Joy started spreading joy locally when ESP opened its 4th location in Savannah in 2025. Joyristas have been visiting local businesses and events, creating moments of meaningful connection for people of all abilities.
Through Java Joy, Joyristas gain professional development experience through local coffee cart services. Corporations can also hire Java Joy to attend larger events, like sales meetings or trade shows. On a Journey of Joy, Joyristas go on business trips, traveling and building their life skills and work experience.
“I love working with Java Joy. I love working with the team, it has given me so many amazing opportunities and I love everything about it,” Savannah Joyrista Patrick Cleary said. “I love everyone I work with; it touches my heart.”
Since its creation in 2016 in Athens, GA, Java Joy has worked to create a world where people of all abilities are seen for what they can do rather than their perceived limitations. Java Joy hosts professional development opportunities for Joyristas and conducts organizational coaching for corporations on how to welcome people with disabilities into the workplace.
Origin Coffee Bar in Savannah will join a long list of organizations in Savannah that have caught the joy including the Savannah Bananas, the Georgia Port Authority, J.C.Lewis Motor Company and SCAD. If your organization would like to brighten an event with Java Joy’s Joyristas, contact Jake Sapp at [email protected].
