Meet Wendy Burnham of Serenity Shore Coffee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Burnham.

Hi Wendy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Serenity Shore Coffee began as a season of prayer and eventually became a call to action for me and my husband, Richard. For well over a year, I had been praying for victims and survivors of human trafficking and asking God how I could possibly make a difference in such a massive and heartbreaking problem. I knew in my heart that I was being called to do more than pray, and in August of 2025 it became clear that I needed to sell something and donate proceeds to help fight trafficking — and that meant creating an e-commerce business.
Ironically, creating an e-commerce business was never something we wanted to do. In fact, through our marketing company, we had actually turned away e-commerce projects in the past. Knowing that, I specifically prayed for God to speak to Richard about the idea because I was convinced he would immediately say no if I talked to him about it, myself. So, I didn’t say a word to him.
Two days later, completely out of the blue, Richard looked at me and said he wanted to sell coffee. That was a quick answer to prayer!
In that moment, I knew God had spoken to both of us and had brought the mission and the means together. Richard has always loved coffee, so creating a purpose-driven coffee company became the perfect fit. Serenity Shore Coffee officially launched in December of last year as an online coffee company with a mission far greater than simply selling coffee. Our heart has always been to help fund organizations that provide rescue efforts, emergency housing, medical and psychological care, financial assistance, and job training for survivors of trafficking.
The name Serenity Shore comes from the desire that every survivor find the serenity and peace that they deserve.
The decision to donate 40% of our profits to the mission came from two deeply personal and spiritual elements. The first came from Scripture. Throughout the Bible, the number 40 often represents hardship, testing, preparation, and ultimately restoration. The Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land, and Jesus fasted and was tested for 40 days before being strengthened and attended to. To us, the “40” represents the hard place survivors walk through before restoration and healing can begin.
The second confirmation came when we heard a man share his testimony about being clinically dead for 40 minutes before God brought him out of darkness and into a restored relationship with Him. After hearing that testimony in church that Sunday morning, both Richard and I looked at each other and immediately knew: we were supposed to donate 40% of our profits to help fight human trafficking and bring hope, healing, and restoration to others.
Since launching, we’ve continued to grow and recently moved into our new office space in Monroe. Along the way, we’ve been blessed to partner with incredible nonprofits such as Four Winds Ministry Village and Bradley’s Angels to help support their missions through collaborative fundraising efforts. We are also currently in discussions with several other nonprofit organizations as we continue expanding our outreach and impact.
We are equally grateful for businesses that have come alongside us and believed in the mission from the beginning. Support from companies like Dixie Exhaust and Stonecrest Honda has helped encourage and strengthen our efforts as we continue building awareness and support for the fight against human trafficking.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple mission: to use business as a platform for purpose, help as many people as possible, create lasting impact in the lives of those who need hope the most, and spread awareness about human trafficking through education and prevention. I am continuing to learn more about trafficking prevention and how to recognize the warning signs so I can speak in places like churches, schools, and civic organizations to help educate others, increase awareness, and ultimately help protect and rescue more lives.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If you have a full life, you have challenges! We have 3 businesses, we’re active in Rotary, we’re Walton County Chamber Ambassadors, we’re members of a worldwide business networking group, and we have my 2 elderly parents that we are caregivers for. We have plenty of late nights, early mornings, in-person and zoom meetings, and doctor’s appointments. At some point in time, there are challenges with all of it, but we wouldn’t change a thing.

We’ve been impressed with Serenity Shore Coffee , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are mission focused. We are known for and are the most proud of donating 40% of our proceeds to end human trafficking. We are 100% online. We are looking to partner with more like-minded non-profits to impact as many people as we can. We have amazing specialty grade coffees that are smooth and delicious; unlike anything you’ll find on a shelf. Our coffee is fresh roasted and delivered to you usually within 10 days of ordering. I used to think I was a coffee lover, but I was a creamer lover until I found our roaster and this coffee. Now, I drink coffee with a little stevia and no creamer because I want to taste the coffee! We offer whole bean and ground coffee. We have flavored options like chocolate and hazelnut along with delicious unflavored coffees from all over the world. Trafficking is a serious mission, but we like to have fun, so we have coffee names like Totally Toucan, Llamalicious, Hoppy Hazelnut, and Beachside Boogie, just to name a few.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was full of energy and often too sarcastic for my own good. I spent a lot of time roller skating, bicycling, and playing dolls and Barbies with my best friend, Lila. I think we had a pretty great childhood. I have always loved to read and draw. In high school I focused entirely on graphite portraits and sold them to teachers and other adults. I tried painting for the first time in 2000 and what started with a homemade easel on my kitchen table, 3 paintbrushes, and 6 tubes of paint spiraled into a business, In The Light Artistry. I paint murals, oils and acrylics on canvas, glass, wood, and more. I often long for the simple play-filled days of childhood with no cell phones, no computers, and the end of the day was signaled by the street light coming on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://serenityshorecoffee.com/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/serenityshorecoffee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579708547142
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SerenityShoreCoffee
• Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/GGo_pQ-a8Q3RkQa5kO06gg