Starbucks Supports Communities by Volunteering with S:US
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At S:US, we are grateful to all our volunteers for supporting the whole community. Volunteers work alongside staff to provide additional support to the people we serve. From corporate groups and community-based organizations to individual contributors, we appreciate every single person who adds value to our work. Volunteers help wrap presents for our Holiday Gift Project, teach participants how to apply for a job, lead yoga classes and other wellness events, work in the gardens with Urban Farms, and more. All these activities are essential to helping individuals and families served by S:US lead full and enriched lives.
For Volunteer Appreciation Month, we spoke with Victoria Liou-Gonzalez, a Starbucks employee. Victoria first reached out to S:US in 2021 when the New York Cares coat drive changed because of COVID restrictions. Starbucks held a coat drive and donated several bags of coats to our residents. In 2022 and 2023, they again dropped off donated coats, and a team of employees also spent an afternoon wrapping holiday gifts both years.
“At Starbucks, we have a Season of Cheer campaign: We work with nonprofits and find opportunities to engage. We heard about the coat drive, so we set up a bin in our office and collected approximately 40 coats donated by Starbucks employees,” said Victoria. “We volunteer during the holiday season, and it makes it even more special because we spread holiday joy by helping people and support them in any way that we can.”
On its website, Starbucks states that it believes the company can and should have a positive impact on the communities they serve. They have a vision that together they will elevate their partners, customers, suppliers, and neighbors to create positive change. Starbucks seeks to strengthen and support communities – from volunteering in local neighborhoods to helping families in coffee- and tea-origin communities.
“The work S:US does is important to the community. It shows the big hearts and compassion the staff has. For me as a volunteer, it is a very rewarding experience. I love the work you do and would be happy to participate in future events,” said Victoria. “I recommend volunteering with S:US, we really enjoyed doing it as a group. It’s something we look forward to.”
We appreciate the Starbucks team and all our volunteers!
For more information on how you can volunteer at S:US, please visit our Volunteer page or contact [email protected].