LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 2, 2022 — This May, during Military Appreciation Month, Starbucks stores show their support for our military community’s mental health and well-being through an eGift giveback. For each new Starbucks Military eGift activated during the month of May, Starbucks will donate $5, to be divided equally between Blue Star Families and Operation Gratitude. This initiative expands Starbucks long-term commitment to support the mental health and well-being of the military community.
“It’s been a hard couple of years for all Americans as we’ve waded through uncharted territory together,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, Founder and CEO of Blue Star Families. “But, if there’s one community that needs us to keep a pulse on their well-being right now, it’s our military. Increased anxiety and stress jeopardizes mission readiness and puts us at risk of not being able to defend our country in a crisis.”
For this reason, Starbucks partners with organizations like Blue Star Families and Operation Gratitude to raise awareness and advocate for mental health. Blue Star Families provides programming to help military families connect with their communities, addressing the isolation that frequent moves and deployments can bring about. The mission behind Operation Gratitude is to honor the service and sacrifices of the military and their families by creating opportunities for Americans to tangibly express their appreciation. Starbucks is the anchor that helps strengthen support for military families by connecting them to their neighbors — both military and civilian — through community events hosted at their stores.
“During this symbolic month of May, and in response to current times, it’s our mission to do everything possible to give military families the support, information, tools, and, most importantly, a place to belong,” said James Johnson, CEO and President of Operation Gratitude. “We are committed to expressing our gratitude to those who serve and sacrifice on our behalf.”
Starbucks believes veterans and military families make the company better and communities stronger. Because of that, since 2013, they’ve set a goal to hire 5,000 military Veterans and military spouses annually, and have dedicated nearly 100 Military Family Stores across the country to support service members, veterans, and military families. In this way, Starbucks initiatives extend well past Military Appreciation Month as they demonstrate a commitment to supporting the mental health of our veterans, active-duty military, and their families year-round.
About Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to providing grateful Americans across our country with opportunities for hands-on volunteerism in support of military, veterans and first responders. In March of 2003, Operation Gratitude sent its first four Care Packages to deployed service members in Iraq. Since its inception, the organization has encouraged Americans across the country to express their gratitude and lift the spirits of millions of deployed troops, recruit graduates, veterans, military families, and first responders. The volunteers of Operation Gratitude are a generous and spirited grassroots network of Americans joined in common cause to say “Thank You” to all who serve our great nation. For more information visit OperationGratitude.com.
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families is the nation’s largest grass-roots military family support organization, with a mission to support military families to improve military readiness. Its distinctive approach builds stronger communities around military families through knowledge and programs that address the unique needs of those who serve. Blue Star Families’ nationally recognized surveys and analysis give military families an important voice that informs policymakers and its military family programs. It uses the power of its collective resources and cross-sector collaborations to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of members of military families to strengthen the troops, their families, and our nation as a whole. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.
About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with nearly 34,000 stores worldwide, 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 stories.starbucks.com or www.starbucks.com
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