❓ FAQ

So you just serve free tea in public parks?

That's part of it! The Tea Stand started out as a project in which we set up a small table in our local park and served free tea to passersby. The programming has since expanded beyond these "⛩️ Popups," though they remain the fundamental format and define the broader mission: creating a place for community interaction, building trust, and sharing tea and joy.

What else does The Tea Stand do?

We serve tea at food distributions (🥬 Distros), co-host an intimate DJ + tea event series (📀 Steeped in Sound), and host facilitated conversations over tea (🫖 Tea Talks). We love to collaborate with local orgs and artists!

Visit the About page for more info about our programming.

I want to visit The Tea Stand! Where can I find y'all?

Visit the Calendar page to see all of our upcoming events – all of them are free and open to the public (some include suggested donations).

We generally stick to Brooklyn – mostly Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and Greenpoint. We get around by bicycle, and while riding several miles with 40+ pounds of weight is a real challenge, we're open to serving free tea anywhere in NYC!

For event announcements and real-time updates, visit the Instagram.

What kind of tea do you serve?

All of the tea we serve is donated by supporters of The Tea Stand. They donate the tea to us and we serve it back to the people, a circular economy.

As a result, we have a diverse inventory of teas and herbs. Generally, we like to offer at least one "true" tea and one herbal tea at every event. We serve hot tea in the cold and cold tea in the heat.

Who's behind The Tea Stand?

I, Miles, am the founder and operator of The Tea Stand – I plan the events, write the newsletter, manage the website, etc. This is my full-time work!

However, friends and strangers alike volunteer their time and ideas to collectively create, operate, and support The Tea Stand. This is why we use "we" pronouns.

And you, the reader, are included in this "we" :)

You do this full-time? How do you pay rent?

See below!

Where do my donations go?

First, to cover expenses of The Tea Stand, which are quite low. All of the tea is donated and we get around by bicycle, so we only spend money on cups, lids, propane, agave syrup, and other small items / improvements to our set up.

Second, to cover my cost of living, and thus make The Tea Stand financially sustainable long-term. Currently, I (Miles, the founder) live off personal savings and lead a low-cost lifestyle to make them last as long as possible. (Read my Privilege Statement for more on this!).

Our goal is to sustain The Tea Stand via the 🧧Membership program – via which individuals can make monthly donations and receive perks in exchange – and grants. By keeping the funding "behind-the-scenes," we can protect the non-transactional energy which is fundamental to The Tea Stand and its mission.

And your donations are tax-deductible! We are 501c3-pending.

How can I support The Tea Stand?

Thank you for supporting the mission of FREE TEA FOR ALL! Here are some ways you can support The Tea Stand:

Donate money! Join the 🧧Membership program for as little as $1/month and receive a variety of perks, like free stickers and issues of our zine, bōcha. We also accept one time donations via Venmo.
Donate tea! All tea is welcome, so long as you know the ingredients. Reach out and we'll coordinate a pick-up.
Donate time! Help us serve tea at a future event. We share volunteer opportunities via our Instagram story.

What inspired this project?

On December 4th, 2021, Miles was walking around Sunset Park with some friends, freezing cold and in need of something warm. I wonder if anybody is serving tea here in the park, he thought. Of course, there wasn't. Further consideration revealed he had never before seen such a thing. Then, the next natural thought: what if I did that? And, better yet: What if the tea was free?

On December 4th, 2022 – exactly one year from my Sunset Park revelation – Miles set up The Tea Stand for the first time in his local park, Maria Hernandez Park. The day was full of smiling strangers, grateful visitors, and serendipity. Immediately after, he started planning the next event, and he hasn't stopped since.

Have a question which isn't answered here? Shoot me a DM on Instagram or email me!