FAIRFIELD -- Mainers will be the first in the nation this summer to order up a slice of military family support with their morning cup of coffee.

Honor Grounds, a new brand of coffee in three flavors, will be offered at area markets and convenience stores beginning in early August.

Half of the proceeds for coffee sales -- by the cup or by the bag -- will be donated to U.S. Veterans Administration medical programs, National Guard support organizations and VFW unmet needs initiatives, according to local organizer Dan Boudreau of Fairfield.

The coffee program is being developed as a patriotic marketing program to support members of the military and their families -- one cup at a time, Boudreau said.

"It's supporting the local soldier through the purchase of a morning cup of coffee," he said.

The plan was hatched by Consolidated Services Group, a consulting firm with more than 55 client companies. The company is based in Minot, with offices in Fairfield and in Lancaster, Penn.

"We have 55 distributors who will be putting this coffee in convenience stores -- we bring them the Honor Grounds program," he said. "It's a program where 50 percent of the profits go back to the state where the consumer bought the coffee to give to the soldiers who are from that state."

A Patriot's Fund has been set aside to collect profits for coffee sales for distribution to the veteran and family support programs, said Boudreau, 44, himself a veteran of the Maine Army National Guard.

He said the various organizations already have the support programs in place, his group simply is contributing to what is already there.

"It will go directly to the soldiers, it won't get lost on a $300 toilet seat," he said. "They already have an active fund; we won't tell them what to do with that."

The coffee will be sold in 10 ounce bags for home brewing as well as by the cup at the local corner store.

In addition, retail bags will come with a label with a local "Soldier's Story" displayed on the package. Soldier of the Month stories will be told on each of the bags, Boudreau said.

"What we're trying to get is local support for local soldiers, local money staying local," Boudreau said. "We're going to do that in every state, all over the country.

"It's going to launch in Maine first. Since we're from Maine, we thought it was particularly relevant."

Distributors in Maine are Fred's Coffee, New England Vending, Dunn Inc., L&L Coffee, Mark's Coffee and Smart's Coffee.

Boudreau said the coffee will come in three flavors: Reveille Dark, 5 Star Joe and D-day Decaf.

He said the goal is to divert $30,000 annually to the military support organizations for distribution to the various programs.

The coffee comes from two roasters New England Coffee, where Boudreau is a sales representative, and Hubbards & Cravens of Indianapolis.

"Eventually we'll have a third one out on the west coast," he said. "I also want the money to go local, where it has impact and people feel it. These organizations support people with certain hardships, immediate needs, medals of recognition for the guys when they come back, just to say thank you.

"It might be little things, or it might be something big."

Doug Harlow -- 861-9244

dharlow@centralmaine.com