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❓ 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 Tea Stand has since evolved and expanded beyond these park ⛩️ Popups (as we call them), though they remain our fundamental format and define our broader mission: creating a place for community interaction, building trust, and sharing tea and joy.

What else does The Tea Stand do?

  • we serve free tea at food distributions in partnership with mutual aid groups (🥬 Distros)
  • we host guided conversations over tea (🫖 Tea Talks)
  • we host an intimate DJ + tea event series (📀 Steeped in Sound)
  • we serve free tea at community events in collaboration with local artists & orgs!

Outside of our programming, we also publish a biannual zine and run a newsletter / membership program to keep The Tea Stand running.

Visit the About page for more info about what we do.

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're almost always in Brooklyn – usually Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and Greenpoint. By staying local, we seek to become a familiar presence and develop meaningful, long-term relationships with our neighbors.

However, we love to explore this city and meet its many inhabitants, so every once in a while you'll find us in another borough.

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, creating 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 steward of The Tea Stand – I host 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. All of the tea that we serve is donated and we get around by bicycle, so our operating costs are quite low: cups, lids, fuel for our camping stove, agave syrup, and other small items / improvements to our setup.

Second, to cover my cost of living, and thus make The Tea Stand sustainable long-term. Currently, I live off personal savings and lead a low-cost lifestyle to make them last as long as possible. More on my background and privilege here!

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

Your donations are tax-deductible! We are 501c3-certified.

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:

  1. Donate money! Join the membership program for as little as $1/month and receive a variety of perks, like seasonal tea boxes and issues of our zine, bōcha. We also accept one time donations via Venmo.
  2. Donate tea! All tea is welcome, so long as you know the ingredients. You can drop-off any tea you'd like to donate at one of our events.
  3. Donate time! Help us serve tea at a future event – we share volunteer opportunities via our Instagram and newsletter. Or reach out to plan a collab!

What inspired this project?

I, Miles, spent a few weeks backpacking around Southwest Asia and North Africa back in 2019. Never before had I experienced such warmth, trust, and hospitality from complete strangers.

I was particularly drawn to the ubiquitous teahouses, each of which served as a hub for conversation, stillness, and community. I loved being able to share space with people without needing to consume alcohol or spend a lot of money.

Upon returning to the US, I was saddened by the lack of simple, social spaces like these teahouses. And so, in an effort to fill this void and create more opportunities for strangers to connect over tea, I started serving free tea in my local park.

I haven't stopped since :)

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