Starbucks employees will be paid for community service in newly launched program
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Starbucks and Points of Light have teamed up for a new service program for the coffee chain's employees. (Starbucks)
This gives a new meaning to “out of the office.”
Starbucks launched a new program where selected employees will split their time working with nonprofits, the coffee giant announced Thursday.
Dubbed the Starbucks Service Fellows program, it's a partnership with the nonprofit organization Points of Light, which describes itself as “the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service,” according to its website.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“The initial six-month pilot, launching this month, includes 36 Starbucks store partners (employees) from 13 cities across the U.S. who will serve with a Points of Light affiliate in their community, collectively providing more than 17,000 hours of community service,” Starbucks said in a release.
Participants “will work 20 hours in their store each week, while spending another 20 hours each week with a Points of Light local affiliate organization,” it said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 13 organizations, chosen by Points of Light, serve U.S. cities including Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix and more.
The nonprofit picked groups which “would benefit from focused service efforts that align with Starbucks’ global social impact priorities, with a focus on opportunity youth, refugees, veterans and military families, hunger, environment and disaster recovery,” the release said.
Program participants also qualify for company benefits, Starbucks added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN reported that the program has already kicked off and that Points of Light will use a Starbucks Foundation grant to pay the fellows.