Starbucks FoodShare expected to donate 5,894,775 pounds of ready-to-eat food each year
Starbucks, Feeding America® and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank announced the launch of the Starbucks FoodShare program in LA County.
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 369 local Starbucks locations, the program is estimated to provide 5,894,775 million pounds of food, or the equivalent of 4.9 million meals* annually in the LA County.
“One in seven people in LA County struggles with hunger, including one in four children,” said Michael Flood, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. “We are proud to work with Starbucks to ensure that people who struggle with hunger have access to wholesome meals. Starbucks FoodShare exemplifies what we can accomplish when we work together.”
“Organizations like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank make it possible for our surplus food to get into the hands that need it most,” said Laura Olson, Starbucks director of Global Social Impact. “We take great pride in supporting the communities we serve in any way we can. Through FoodShare, our partners are able to give back to people in need and address one of the most serious issues we have today, hunger.”
Starbucks 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 local partner agencies for distribution. Food items include Bistro Boxes, breakfast sandwiches, paninis, salads, yogurts and high-quality baked goods.
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.