Starbucks Launches Program That Allows Employees to Spend Half of Their Work Week Volunteering
Last month, Starbucks had announced that they are testing out a new non-profit program that would allow their employees to spend half of their time working through assisting their local communities and charities.
Starbucks is working together with the organization Points of Light to run the non-profit program called ‘Starbucks Service Fellows’.
Starbucks announces a test program that will allow some employees to spend half of their workweek at a local nonprofit https://t.co/qihJdyuer2 pic.twitter.com/yUPr89lzBz
— CNNMoney (@CNNMoney) August 25, 2018
Thirty-six Starbucks employees across thirteen cities in the United States have been recruited for the Service Fellows program; the program will run for the length of six months. These employees will work in tandem with a Points of Light associate in their respective communities.
Proud to partner with @Starbucks on this innovative new program, building capacity for local nonprofits to do more good in their communities! #StarbucksServiceFellows #extrashotofgood https://t.co/5FoJLcRBBz
— Points of Light (@PointsofLight) August 27, 2018
While twenty hours of these Starbucks’ employees time will be towards working at their local Starbucks cafés, the other twenty hours will be dedicated to volunteering for various issues including assisting refugees, feeding the hungry, helping veterans and military families, and invigorating the environment. Employees in the program will also still receive benefits from Starbucks such as healthcare and the Starbucks College Achievement Plan. By the end of Service Fellows initial run, a total of 17,000 community-work hours is expected to be outputted.
Virginia Tenpenny, vice president of global social impact at Starbucks and executive director of The Starbucks Foundation, had spoken about how Service Fellows will help people. “Starbucks partners have a passion for service both in and out of their stores. The Service Fellows program powers that passion through philanthropy and partnerships to have the greatest impact. Our Service Fellows pilot is an innovative model that combines work, service, and partnerships, a model that will inform how we catalyze our partners and grantees to create enduring change in our communities.”
