Starbucks Joins Doug Baldwin and City of Renton to Support Youth and Families
Starbucks is joining Seattle Seahawks player Doug Baldwin, the City of Renton, and the Renton School District to support the creation of a state-of-the-art community center in the Cascade/Benson neighborhood.
The Starbucks Foundation has donated $150,000 towards the upcoming Family First Community Center planned for the Cascade/Benson neighborhood of Renton, WA
The initiative is being led by Seattle Seahawks player Doug Baldwin, the City of Renton, and Renton School District to connect local youth and families in underserved communities to free recreational, educational, job readiness and wellness opportunities
Renton, WA (January 18, 2018) – Starbucks is joining Seattle Seahawks player Doug Baldwin, the City of Renton, and the Renton School District to support the creation of a state-of-the-art community center in the Cascade/Benson neighborhood. Donations from the community, including a $150,000 grant from The Starbucks Foundation, will help offer free after school programs to youth and children, tutoring and mentoring, classes in technology, music and English as a second language, and a health clinic.
“I am incredibly excited about the progress of the Family First Community Center and all of the support we have received up to this point,” said Baldwin. “We are grateful to Starbucks for their support in bringing this project to life.”
Baldwin originally approached Renton Mayor Denis Law to express his interest in providing a recreational facility in Renton to help meet the needs of underserved families, particularly those in the historically underserved Cascade/Benson neighborhood. The area is home to nearly a quarter of Renton’s population, with many living below the poverty line. For Baldwin, the project builds on more than seven years of business experience related to sports and recreation. For Mayor Law, the initiative provides vital services for an area that has historically been underserved.
“Starbucks is an exemplary partner in our mission to ensure that young people in our community have the opportunity to realize their dreams and succeed,” said Mayor Denis Law. “I want to express my gratitude for their generous donation. Their contribution helps us get closer to making the Family First Community Center in the Cascade/Benson Hill area a reality and providing our youth with a safe place to learn and where they can reach their full potential.”
“Starbucks has a long-standing commitment to connecting youth to the opportunities they need to succeed, an effort that began many years ago through early investments from The Starbucks Foundation right here in our hometown,” said John Kelly, senior vice president for Starbucks Global Public Affairs and Social Impact. “As we continue to build on this work, we are thrilled to support Doug and Mayor Law’s vision for Renton, and encourage others in the community to join us. This is an opportunity to show that every child in our community, regardless of their zip code, should have access to the kinds of opportunities that will help set them up for lifelong success.”
Partnering with leaders like Mayor Law and Doug Baldwin in communities across the country is a key part of Starbucks national effort to engage Opportunity Youth – the estimated 4.9 million young Americans who want to work or go to school, but continue to face systemic barriers to meaningful education and employment. In 2015, the company committed to hiring 10,000 opportunity youth by 2020. Starbucks quickly surpassed that goal with more than 40,000 hires to date, and now aims to hire 100,000 by 2020. The company has also since brought more than 50 likeminded companies together to form the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™, the nation’s largest employer-led effort to connect 1 million opportunity youth to jobs by 2021. In addition, The Starbucks Foundation continues to support nonprofit organizations around the country that are working to provide career and educational pathways to youth in underserved communities.
For more information on the Family First Community Center and to donate, please contact the City of Renton’s Mayor’s Office at 425-430-6500.
About Starbucks Hometown
For more than 45 years, Starbucks has had the pleasure of calling Seattle home. Starbucks is proud of its roots and honored to be a part of the community that has been with us from the beginning. Starbucks continues to celebrate the community at its SoDo headquarters, roasting plant in Kent, Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle, and in stores throughout Western Washington. Starbucks is proud to support local initiatives through partnerships with like-minded local organizations including the University of Washington, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders FC, Mary’s Place, the United Way of King County, Seattle Theatre Group, Seafair, YouthCare, FareStart, and the Seattle International Film Festival.
About The Starbucks Foundation
Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation has strengthened communities around the world by advancing youth leadership and community engagement. The Starbucks Foundation is a U.S. 501 (c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law, and receives funding primarily from Starbucks Corporation and private donations.
