Langley, B.C. Starbucks store manager, Sonja Olsen started out with a small idea to spread holiday cheer to seniors – one that has quickly snowballed into a community-wide initiative.&nbsp;

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In less than two weeks, Olsen and her team at the 200th St. Starbucks have collected hundreds of greeting cards filled with messages of care for the community’s seniors who may be spending the holidays alone this year due to the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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“I didn’t think this was going to gain this much traction,” says Olsen, who came up with the idea, thinking about her own grandmother who lives in an assisted-living home in Burnaby and will be one of many seniors who may not be able to celebrate the holidays with her loved ones this year.&nbsp;Olsen and her team were discussing the store’s plans for Starbucks annual Season of Cheer, which empowers partners (employees) to find ways to connect with their community, spread kindness, and give back wherever and whenever possible.

And while community service is challenged by the pandemic this year, partners have found creative ways to give back.&nbsp;

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Olsen initially set out 60 blank cards on a table in the store. Next to them, she put up a small sign welcoming partners and customers alike to write a card to a senior in a care home. To her surprise, the simple ask really resonated with the community, and the store had to consistently restock the cards.

In the first week word spread quickly about the store’s initiative, and soon the phone started ringing with calls from multiple elementary school teachers looking to get their classes involved.

Many of the cards include drawings from children who have visited the store, but what’s even more heartwarming, Olsen says, are the messages people have been leaving.&nbsp;

“I’ve read through so many of them and some will actually bring you to tears,” says Olsen. “There’s a tremendous amount of ‘You are not alone.’ And there are so many people who have left their phone numbers for seniors so they have someone to talk to. ‘If you’re lonely call me. I want to hear about your life,’ some say.”

Uplifting the community

In addition to the holiday cards, Olsen’s store will also begin collecting gifts for seniors to continue spreading holiday cheer. The store will set up a drop-off box for anyone who wants to give something small, like a box of chocolates or slippers, fully respecting social distancing and store safety protocols. The store will then arrange for the gifts and cards to be delivered to senior care homes.

“[The initiative] just keeps growing and my store partners have become very invested in what’s happening,” Olsen says. “They are feeling a tremendous amount of responsibility. Now that we have the community’s attention, what can we do?”

That’s why, on top of sending cards and gifts to seniors, Olsen and her store partners have also started collecting items for their local food bank.

“I’m at the point where I’m collecting so much holiday joy that I’m just trying to figure out how to spread it,” Olsen laughs.

Langley, B.C. Starbucks store manager, Sonja Olsen started out with a small idea to spread holiday cheer to seniors – one that has quickly snowballed into a community-wide initiative.

Behind the Green Apron: Starbucks Partners in B.C. Remind Seniors ‘You are Not Alone’ with Hundreds of Holiday Cards

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Starbucks Canada

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/behind-the-green-apron-starbucks-partners-remind-seniors-you-are-not-alone-with-holiday-cards/

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As the world contends with rising cases in the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of another serious illness continues to be felt in communities both at home and abroad.

Over the last four years in Canada alone, the number of new HIV cases has risen by more than 25 per cent* due in part to a lack of education and awareness, according to the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS). This December 1st, World AIDS Day, CAS is hoping to dial up the conversation.

“We’re not talking about HIV anymore. A lot of people don’t think it’s an issue, but it’s becoming one of the biggest health issues in Canada,” says Gary Lacasse, executive director of The Canadian AIDS Society.&nbsp;“Sexual health is also taboo in a lot of different groups and there’s a lack of knowledge and awareness campaigns to discuss the issue with different circles who are at risk of contracting HIV.”&nbsp;

One way to address the HIV and AIDS stigma is to educate yourself to gain a better <a href="http://www.cdnaids.ca/wp-content/uploads/Common-Misconceptions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">understanding of its misconceptions</a> and gain empathy for <a href="http://www.cdnaids.ca/wp-content/uploads/Strategies-for-People-Living-with-HIV.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">people living with the disease</a>.

Ongoing stigmas and misconceptions make it difficult for people living with the illness to feel comfortable sharing their experiences. For Levi Parker-Styles, a Starbucks Canada district manager, overcoming the stigma has been an ongoing struggle since he was diagnosed with HIV in 2018.

“Honestly, [the stigma] still makes me feel uncomfortable. I can’t help but think that the moment people learn about my diagnosis, I am seen as lesser,” Parker-Styles says. “Whether at work or personally, I am constantly aware of my situation and though I feel empowered each time I share my experience, it still feels like I lose a little of myself. The need to share, the need to ‘come out each time,’ it weighs on you, emotionally, more than one might think.”

Despite the risk of judgement he faces, Parker-Styles says he knows that without education, it is hard to correct false public perceptions about the disease. Today, he shares his experience in hopes it will spark important conversations about HIV, lessen the stigma and, hopefully, encourage more people to get tested so they know their status.

“If, in sharing my own journey, I can affect one person – whether that be in terms of support or education, I know I will have made a difference,” he says.&nbsp;

While roughly 20 per cent of people who are living with HIV don’t know their status, the biggest myth, according to CAS, is that <a href="https://www.unaids.org/en/frequently-asked-questions-about-hiv-and-aids#:~:text=HIV%20can%20be%20transmitted%20through,higher%20than%20by%20vaginal%20sex." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HIV is easily transmittable</a> and easily manageable. Despite effective medications available to help patients manage their symptoms and complications, there is still no cure for HIV and AIDS.

“Because the drugs [to treat the illness] are so advanced right now, there’s the false impression that people aren’t getting sick and that there is a cure,” explains Bridget Hall, Board of Directors Chair at CAS. Hall is referencing the fact that today, those like Parker-Styles who are living with HIV can manage their illness with a once-a-day pill.&nbsp;

In addition, there are often high costs associated with treatment. As a benefits-eligible partner (employee), Parker-Styles’ medication is covered, which he says “takes the worry out of the experience that so many of my friends still face. Imagine having to pay $2,000 a month, every month, with no support.”

Starbucks supports the fight against AIDS

On Dec. 1, in recognition of Giving Tuesday and World AIDS Day, The Starbucks Foundation will donate $500,000 USD to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS with <a href="https://www.red.org/">(RED)</a>.

The donation will support the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response, which aims to strengthen health systems and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on AIDS programs. These funds will help protect the extraordinary gains the global health community has made in the fight against AIDS and ensure continued access to life-saving treatment and services.

Since Starbucks partnership with (RED) began in 2008, Starbucks has generated more than $16 million in donations to help fight AIDS.

This donation builds on The Starbucks Foundation’s investments to support <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-supporting-community-response-and-resilience-during-covid-19/" target="_blank">community response and resilience during COVID-19</a>. The Starbucks Foundation has contributed more than $9 million to a variety of global and local nonprofit partners, including Mercy Corps, the United Nations Foundation and over 400 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-invests-145k-in-grants-to-support-local-communities-across-canada/" target="_blank">community-based organizations across Canada</a> and the U.S. in response to COVID-19.&nbsp;

To learn more about how you can get involved this World AIDS Day, visit The Canadian AIDS Society for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cdnaids.ca/resources/" target="_blank">links to resources</a>, to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cdnaids.ca/members/" target="_blank">find local organizations</a>, and to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cdnaids.ca/resources/hiv-information-hotlines/" target="_blank">access information hotlines and support</a>.

*<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cdnaids.ca/canada-sees-its-fourth-consecutive-year-of-increasing-hiv-rates/" target="_blank">2018 report</a> from the Public Health Agency of Canada

Over the last four years in Canada alone, the number of new HIV cases has risen by more than 25 per cent* due in part to a lack of education and awareness, according to the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS). This December 1st, World AIDS Day, CAS is hoping to dial up the conversation.

Behind the Green Apron: Raising Awareness in the Fight against HIV and AIDS One Person at a Time

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/honouring-world-aids-day/

“Art’s always that much more special when it’s made by someone in the community.”

This summer, when you pick up your morning coffee or join Pride celebrations in communities across Canada, there’s a good chance you’ll see Starbucks partners (what we call employees) wearing the vibrant tees designed by Toronto partner Jenelle Lewis. Her design was chosen from nearly 50 submissions from partners around the country through a contest coordinated by the Canada Pride Alliance Network, one of Starbucks’ oldest and largest partner networks made up of hundreds of members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. More than 2,500 partners will be wearing their pride on their sleeves throughout the summer.

For Jenelle, the contest was the perfect opportunity to share her love of design, passion for Starbucks and her pride in her identity. “As a queer woman of colour, I needed to contribute to the community. Starbucks contributes to the LGBTQ community so much, so I wanted [my design] to be really special.”

Canada Pride Alliance Network Co-Chairs Steven Snyder and Jeremy Jones had the contest idea two years ago to foster a uniquely Canadian celebration of Pride and the inclusivity it represents. This spring they made it happen. Jeremy was amazed by the enthusiasm. “The response was incredible to see. We had partners from the Prairies, partners from the Maritimes, every market was represented by at least one entry. The designs were totally eclectic and different from each other and had their own creativity behind it.”

As soon as her manager let her know about the competition, Jenelle got to work. “I literally pulled out some receipt paper and started sketching when I was on the floor. My team thought it was really funny. They were like ‘Of course you would start sketching ideas now…you wouldn’t even wait.’ I was so excited to just start and finish. My heart and soul and everything went into it.” 

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As her designs moved from receipt paper to sketch pad, a concept began to come to life: Jenelle wanted to combine elements of the Pride Flag, the Transgender Flag, and browns representing queer people of colour with the iconic bloom of latte art. The phrase “A splash of pride in every cup” that’s proudly displayed on the back of each Pride shirt was taken from an alternate design Jenelle submitted, but she felt it fit the winning concept perfectly. 

Members of the Canada Pride Alliance Network considered each entry over three rounds of voting. They had a range of criteria, including creativity, originality and how it embodied Pride at Starbucks. Jenelle’s entry captured each. Steven Snyder summed up the judges’ reaction: “The design, the colours, everything stands out. This shirt is unapologetically Pride.”

Jenelle found her way to this winning approach organically. “Working at Starbucks for so many years, I already felt I had a connection to the company when I started designing. The ideology of the design is intuitive to me because I’ve been doing this for such a long time. A lifetime of learning and experimentation.”

The meaning of Pride is unique to everyone. For Jenelle, it’s about “being comfortable in who you are at a time when people feel the need to be different or have a different persona, especially on the internet, to get likes. Just being confident and just loving life.” 

When Jenelle discovered her art had been chosen, she was overcome with emotion. 

“I had to leave the floor. I couldn’t believe it. Honestly, I almost cried. I was shaking.” But this is just the beginning. “Now I’m more inspired than ever.”

Join Jenelle and other partners in your community in celebrating inclusion this Pride Month.

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This month, when you pick up your morning coffee or join Pride celebrations in communities across Canada, there’s a good chance you’ll see Starbucks partners (what we call employees) wearing the vibrant tees designed by Toronto partner Jenelle Lewis.

A Splash of Pride in Every Cup - Starbucks Canada

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2019/behind-the-green-apron-a-splash-of-pride-in-every-cup/