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Starbucks Begins Testing Fellowship Program Where Employees Spend Half of Work Week at Local Nonprofits

Starbucks Begins Testing Fellowship Program Where Employees Spend Half of Work Week at Local Nonprofits

The coffee chain has started a fellowship program in 13 cities that awards employees grants to volunteer their time locally for up to 20 hours per week

Corporate-owned coffee giant Starbucks announced it selected 36 service fellows across 13 U.S. cities to begin testing a six-month program that allows them to spend up to half of their work week at local nonprofit organizations.

CNN Money noted the brand’s philanthropic arm awarded a grant to nonprofit volunteer group Points of Light, who gave stipends to participating employees. Fellows will spend at least 20 hours per week working for Starbucks, and up to 20 hours per week at a local organization that aligns with the company’s philanthropic priorities, some of which include supporting refugees, eliminating hunger, protecting the environment and assisting in disaster relief.

“When employees are engaged in communities and they feel connected, they're going to stay with Starbucks longer. … That's all great for business," said Virginia Tenpenny, VP of global social impact at Starbucks.

Read the full story here.

Photo courtesy of Starbucks Twitter

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Madeline Lena

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Madeline Lena

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Maddie has spent her career in the media industry, serving in various editorial roles before migrating into a hybrid content strategy and PR role with No Limit Agency. Her passion for storytelling and love of writing help her create meaningful content on behalf of her clients and fulfill No Limit Agency’s mission to tell people-driven stories. 

Maddie is a graduate of Saint Louis University, where she studied Communications with a focus in journalism and media studies as well as Sports Business. In her spare time, Maddie can be found exploring Chicago’s food scene, watching an NBA game or lamenting over her middling fantasy baseball team.