Starbucks Joins with Community Organizations in Los Angeles

Associated Press

"Starbucks is partering with two organizations doing heroic work to address the economic, social and education challenges in their communities," said Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.  "These two partnerships are intended to help us learn how our company can successfully join with change-making community organizations in a localized, coordinated and replicable way."

Starbucks will donate the money for the first year of the partnership and will evaluate how well the initiative worked. The league plans to use the money for youth and education programs at Crenshaw High School.

Starbucks will use the partnership to share business expertise with local residents, participate in community service and find ways for the coffee company to support jobs training and placement.

Los Angeles Urban League president Blair Taylor said Starbucks is "taking the lead in very rough economic times."

"They fully recognize and appreciate the need for collaboration between forward-thinking organizations from the for-profit and nonprofit sectors," he said.

The Crenshaw Starbucks is situated in a 70-block area where the League has been working to revitalize the areas by focusing on education, safety, housing, health and employment since 2007.  Dubbed "Neighborhoods at Work," the initiative is measured by its successes at Crenshaw High School.  The League says graduation rates there have increased 51 percent since 2007.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa applauded the new partnership, saying he hopes other corporations in Los Angeles will follow Starbucks' lead.

"I strongly encourage other leaders to look for new ways to invigorate communities and transform lives," he said.