Local FoodShare program expected to donate 216,000 pounds of ready-to-eat food each year
Austin, TX, October 18 – Today, Starbucks, Feeding America® and the Central Texas Food Bank announced the launch of the Starbucks FoodShare program in the Austin area.
As part of the FoodShare program, Starbucks donates nourishing, ready-to-eat meals each day to Feeding America member food banks from its company-operated stores in the U.S. With donations from 60 local Starbucks locations, the program is estimated to provide 216,000 pounds of food, or the equivalent of 180,000 meals* annually for Central Texans in need.
“One in 6 people in Central Texas struggle with hunger, and for children the number is 1 in 4,” said Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank. “We are proud to partner with Starbucks to ensure that people who struggle with hunger have access to wholesome meals. The FoodShare program exemplifies what we can accomplish when we work together.”
FoodShare donations will be picked up in refrigerated vehicles from Starbucks stores seven days a week, year round. At each location, drivers will check all items to ensure food safety and transport the food to Hill Country Community Ministries and Travis Heights Christian Outreach for distribution. Food items include Bistro Boxes, breakfast sandwiches, paninis, salads, yogurts and high-quality baked goods.
“We are excited to partner with the Central Texas Food Bank to bring FoodShare to Austin!” said Laura Olson, senior manager for Starbucks FoodShare. “Our partners (employees) saw an opportunity for Starbucks to make an impact and asked leadership to act. We did just that and are incredibly proud of the partnership with Feeding America to create FoodShare.”
Starbucks intends to scale this program by 2020 and rescue 100 percent of its food available for donation from participating company-operated U.S. stores.
For more information about the Starbucks FoodShare program, please visit https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/community/foodshare.
*According to the USDA, 1 meal is the equivalent of 1.2 pounds of food.
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ABOUT THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK
The mission of Central Texas Food Bank is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in the fight against hunger. Founded in 1981, the Food Bank provides food and grocery products through a network of nearly 300 Partner Agencies and nutrition programs, serving nearly 46,000 people every week. Headquartered in Austin, the Food Bank serves 21 counties in Central Texas, an area about twice the size of Massachusetts. For more information on the Food Bank and its programs, visit www.centraltexasfoodbank.org.
ABOUT STARBUCKS
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at http://news.starbucks.com.
