Page 178 - The Starbucks Experience

Leave Your Mark

ship has created support for communities throughout the
world by developing The Starbucks Foundation and by cre-
ating ways to encourage corporate volunteerism. The Star-
bucks brand, in turn, has benefited from this, achieving
strengthened bonds in the neighborhoods the company
serves, increased pride among its partners, and an exemplary
reputation for philanthropy and community service.

Corporate Giving
As businesses grow, they often face the perception that “big”
equals “bad.” Many people assume, for example, that large
companies lose their heart and their compassion. To ensure
that Starbucks maintain a focus on stewardship during its
growth, Howard Schultz established The Starbucks Founda-
tion in 1997. This foundation centralized Starbucks corpo- 163
rate giving efforts and prioritized support for literacy and
programs affecting children and families.
While the magnitude of Starbucks financial giving is
impressive, at the end of the day, it is the impact of those dol-
lars that really matters to the people whose lives are affected.
For community partner Jumpstart, it has meant more than a
decade of literacy education and progress toward the goal
that every child in America will one day enter school pre-
pared to succeed. In 2005, The Starbucks Foundation pledged
$1.5 million to Jumpstart alone. This money is intended to
support the organization’s efforts over the next three years.
While $1.5 million is outside the budget of most philan-
thropists, most of The Starbucks Foundation grants fall
between $10,000 and $50,000, and all of those dollars go to
organizations in which Starbucks partners have volunteered.
Once partners have worked with an agency and have wit-