Starbucks FoodShare amplifies volunteer passion and impact in Calgary

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Today, nearly 1.15 million youth in Canada struggle to get enough to eat. That’s one in six children. But in Alberta, organizations like Bethany Chapel and Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids are confronting food insecurity one healthy lunch at a time.

Brown Bagging began more than 30 years ago to help feed Calgary’s homeless youth. As studies found that hunger at school was a growing problem, their mandate evolved to include the thousands of children going hungry in their city. Now they work with 225 schools feeding 4,700 kids daily. While half are nourished through their central kitchen, the rest are supported by community groups such as Bethany Chapel and the dedicated people on the front line. People like Community &amp; Women’s Ministries Director Mary Dyck.

“I love my work, I love meeting people and I love hearing their stories. I think we have built a trust.” Mary’s smile lights up when she talks about her job. “We are just here to help them make it through a day, through a week, you know, and that trust has been built.”

Mary coordinates resources for refugees, runs clothing drives, and helps organize hampers of food for nearly 150 kids each week during the school year. In the summer, that number rises to nearly 250. “We make sure they have fruits and vegetables and good juice and a healthy snack just to get them through the day.”

Bagging alongside Mary for the past eight months has been Starbucks Partner Manar Al-Yasiri. Mary remembers when they first met: “She was just enthusiastic and overwhelmed by the reach of what we do. Things just started popping in her head and she said, ‘you know, at the end of the day at Starbucks, there's leftovers.’ And now she's coming two to three times a week. It's been a really sweet partnership.”

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Manar wanted to give back to her community at the height of the pandemic. When she discovered Bethany Chapel’s food donation program, she realized it was exactly what she was looking for. She also knew she could make each bag just a little more special. “Any kid that just needs a lunch or needs anything, they would support them. And I loved that! But as I was setting up those hampers, I realized I could fill them up much, much more. I can make them bigger. I can add just a few more treats for the kids.”

Soon Manar was organizing deliveries from five Starbucks locations across Calgary. And when <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2021/starbucks-national-foodshare-expansion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FoodShare </a>arrived in the city earlier this year, what started as a collaboration between volunteers became something so much greater. Not only is the quantity skyrocketing, but a greater diversity of food is reaching hungry kids.

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This has made a major impact on food waste at Calgary’s stores — and an impact on Manar’s satisfaction in her work. “As a business, we are almost in every home and every city,” she observes. “And with that, unfortunately, comes the burden of food waste. But I'm incredibly grateful because now that food is being repurposed for the people who need it. It gets another life, right? Now I’m the person redirecting the food to those who need it most. And what is better than that?”&nbsp;

Manar and her fellow Partner volunteers began sorting up to 400 Starbucks food items each week from the five stores, noting expiry dates for the families’ use and packaging them for easy delivery. While hearing how much the kids loved the new treats is particularly satisfying, working with FoodShare has made her realize the true potential of this opportunity.

“Starbucks elects to be a ‘third place’ of the community by being a place where anyone is welcomed. But our community also needs that in different ways. If we can be the third place for community organizations, where we ease their burden by giving them food that people enjoy, then they can use their resources to help families with other things, whether it's for field trips, whether it's for housing, whether it's for anything. I think it would create a seismic effect that reaches across the community.”

Both Mary and Manar are quick to point out that they are just one piece in a long chain of compassion. They see themselves as connectors, bringing resources and people together. The two women agree that the only way to overcome challenges like food waste or child hunger is to build partnerships like the one they fostered at Bethany Chapel, then use programs like FoodShare to grow them to new heights.

“I always feel it's just a drop in the bucket. I don't think I'm doing anything, you know, worthy of any great recognition,” Manar reflects, “I'm just doing what I can. And that's what a lot of people do in our community. We do what we can. There's just so many people physically handling those bags in order to reach the homes that most need it. But every drop matters. And I do believe in that little ripple effect.”

Learn more about the incredible work of <a href="https://www.bethanychapel.com/">Bethany Chapel</a> and <a href="https://bb4ck.org/">Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids</a>.

Starbucks FoodShare: Every Drop Matters - Starbucks Canada

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Starbucks FoodShare amplifies volunteer passion and impact in Calgary Today, nearly 1.15 million youth in Canada struggle to get enough to eat. That’s one in six children. But in Alberta, organizations like Bethany Chapel and Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids are confronting food insecurity one healthy lunch at a time. Brown Bagging began more than […]

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Starbucks FoodShare: Every Drop Matters

A former Starbucks barista is building new partnerships in Kingston

Starbucks FoodShare programs helps local community organization meet a growing need

When Lionhearts founder Travis Blackmore arrived at his first day on the job to find 800 pounds of strawberries on their doorstep, he knew they had started something incredible. He also knew they had to grow – and fast. Today his team manages an entire distribution warehouse moving tons of recovered food to agencies on the front lines of food insecurity, strengthening a thread that links organizations like Starbucks with people in urgent need of nourishing food.

It all comes down to Lionhearts’ simple mission: to connect those who want to help with those who know how to do it. Over the past seven years, Executive Director Travis Blackmore has helped this mission grow exponentially to meet an ever-increasing need thanks to partnerships with programs like <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2021/starbucks-national-foodshare-expansion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FoodShare</a>.

“I mean, without Starbucks, without major partners, we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't have anything to give. So, it really goes back to the heart of those partners, that they would trust us with what they have. And then we turn around and make sure we sort of hold the backs up of those on the front line.” These partnerships have helped Travis and his team grow distribution from roughly $450,000 worth of good food in 2015 to more than $3 million in the past year. Committed to zero-waste operations, they ensure that anything deemed unsuitable for people becomes feed for local farms.

Travis was professional drummer in a previous life, touring with bands for more than a decade. Before that, he was a partner at Kingston’s first Starbucks store. He still sounds surprised when he reflects on the path his life has taken. “You know, it's amazing to see it kind of come full circle. Later in life, you end up starting a not for profit, and you become partners with one of the places that you used to work for.”

He believes it’s not just about quantity, but the types of nourishing meals make a difference. “The food quality is obviously incredible. When we get to deliver that to the frontline agencies, you can tell right away, like their faces just light up. They turn it around and then they're seeing families’ faces light up.” Sandwiches and sweet treats are often an unexpected bounty for so many of the recipients used to just the bare essentials.

As FoodShare rolled out through Kingston’s stores, Starbucks Partners have been key to Lionhearts’ growing mission. “We've had people from every store in our city, managers included, actually become part of Lionheart. They come on a monthly basis as a team to help us with the meal plan and meal package preparation. It's so moving to see that level of care.”

But the collaboration with Starbucks Partners actually began all the way back in 2015. In fact, Lionhearts used to hold their meetings at one of Kingston’s Starbucks locations. When Partner Jenny Dupuis learned about their mission, she immediately knew she wanted to help. “As we’ve connected to the volunteer community, it’s like opening up your bubble,” Jenny recounts. Today, with more partners volunteering alongside her and FoodShare empowering their work, she believes the impact will only grow. “You see the people really benefitting – it’s been amazing. And when you can re-use food, you’re giving back to people who need it but you’re also helping the environment. I have two young children, so I want to make sure they can walk into a world without so much waste.” With the rollout of FoodShare in Kingston, Jenny has been joined by Partners at eight locations.

COVID-19 makes their work all the more urgent. “Right now, there’s so much need,” Jenny emphasizes. “The pandemic has put so many people out of work.” But as many agencies shuttered their doors due to safety restrictions, Lionhearts has sprung into action, opening pop-up distribution centres in local parks to meet the need. “Here we stand, what, 17 months later?” Travis reflects, “And we've served over 335,000 meals to go in the Kingston area. It's a really sobering number to realize how many folks really are struggling during this time.”

That growing need can only be met by a concerted effort from the food banks of the front lines to Lionhearts all the way through to organizations like Second Harvest and Starbucks. The mission is far from over, whether in Kingston or in communities across Canada. Every little piece can have a major impact, especially when people like Travis and Jenny connect.

As he thinks about what’s ahead, Travis stays grounded by the moments that make it worthwhile.

“When it's received, it’s received with love. I mean, it's really a transfer, I think, from start to finish with love. It’s that common thread through all of it. Starbucks obviously takes great care with what they provide to the public. And if it doesn't make it there in time, then they still take the extra love to make sure that it doesn't go to waste. And I think everyone through that chain, from Starbucks to the distribution unit like us to the frontline agency to that person that receives it in their hand, you can't help but see love through the thread."

You learn more about Lionhearts’ remarkable work <a href="https://lionhearts.ca/">here</a>.

Starbucks FoodShare: Growing to Meet the Need - Starbucks Canada

Starbucks FoodShare: Growing to Meet the Need

A former Starbucks barista is building new partnerships in Kingston Starbucks FoodShare programs helps local community organization meet a growing need When Lionhearts founder Travis Blackmore arrived at his first day on the job to find 800 pounds of strawberries on their doorstep, he knew they had started something incredible. He also knew they had […]

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2021/growing-to-meet-the-need/

Starbucks FoodShare diverts excess food to fill the hearts of those in need.

Every month, Supervisor Kim Allen turns $2,200 into meals, toiletries, and other essentials for the ten residents of Grace House in Halton, Ontario. During her 21 years of working at the residence for adults experiencing complex mental health and addiction issues, she’s learned how to make each dollar count. And she knows how important something as simple as a shared meal can be.

Grace House is a place of transition. It’s a stepping-stone for people who have lived with homelessness, often chronically, where they can find the support, they need to build a new life. Much of the work of Kim and her colleagues is focused on developing “ADL’s” or the “Activities of Daily Living.” These range from cooking to budgeting — whatever will set them up for success once they have a place of their own.

Food has always been at the heart of life at the house. Residents would come together every evening for a formal dinner, often cooked by one of their own. “It was where everybody could just sit down and talk about some of the highs and the lows of the day.” Kim explains. “Really an opportunity for people to make those kind of family connections at the dinner table that are so important.” While COVID-19 has meant that these shared meals have been scaled back to once a week, good food remains a vital source of relief for residents in difficult times. These days, some of that food comes courtesy of Starbucks Partners like Stephanie Spears, a Store Manager in Oakville.

Since July 2020, Stephanie and her team have donated over 2,000 pounds of food,providing more than 370 meals to organizations including Grace House.

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After learning <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2021/starbucks-national-foodshare-expansion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FoodShare</a> was launched in Canada was available to her store, Stephanie was eager to introduce it to her own neighbourhood. Her team embraced the idea. “It's inspiring for our partners to see that these little changes can have such a huge impact, especially with a big company like Starbucks. Someone comes and picks it up like it's no sweat off our back. And it has this amazing positive effect. The team thinks ‘What else can we do? Like, how can we do more?’ It's just a ripple effect of positivity.”

Kim sees that ripple effect first-hand. A treat like a cake-pop makes a solitary lunch just a little bit special for residents, while breakfast items become full dinners in her busy kitchen. But to her, the greatest benefit is the reliability. “I can't explain how appreciated it is that there’s one meal I don't have to worry about. I know Fridays I'm going to get Egg Bites from Starbucks and all I have to do is maybe add bacon and sausages, and these guys have dinner.” As the challenges of COVID-19 introduce new expenses and precautions, stable, consistent donations can have a massive impact on the comfort and stress of both residents and staff at homes like Grace House.

Being able to plan her tight budget around the deliveries means that there’s money left over to celebrate important events. “We like to acknowledge those special moments in people's lives, so it means that we can purchase a birthday cake, we have special dinner that night, whatever it is that they want.”

But the relationship between Stephanie’s store and Grace House doesn’t end with food, as Kim is quick to point out. Beyond the donations, she feels that simple hospitality has made a difference to her residents. “One of the challenges in supporting individuals with mental health and addictions is that sometimes they look different, I suppose, to outsiders,” she explains. “But we've never felt that Starbucks has treated the people that I support differently. In fact, they've always been welcoming.”

It’s part of what Stephanie and her partners have fostered for years. “We're trying to be this positive presence in the community. And I always think of my store as this beautiful little safe space for us all to come together and just have fun and interact with our customers and just like literally uplift each other every day. Like, it's so cheesy, but I hope that that environment can spread outwards.”

Today food insecurity affects more Canadians than ever, and homes like Grace House are especially vulnerable. Already stretched thin, they rely on their communities to continue their vital work.

&nbsp;You can support Kim, her colleagues, and the residents of Grace House at <a href="https://supporthouse.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supporthouse.ca</a>

Starbucks FoodShare: Delivering Grace in Halton - Starbucks Canada

Starbucks FoodShare: Delivering Grace in Halton

Starbucks FoodShare diverts excess food to fill the hearts of those in need. Every month, Supervisor Kim Allen turns $2,200 into meals, toiletries, and other essentials for the ten residents of Grace House in Halton, Ontario. During her 21 years of working at the residence for adults experiencing complex mental health and addiction issues, she’s […]

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2021/delivering-grace-in-halton/

National food rescue program makes progress towards Starbucks 2030 sustainability goals by helping to eliminate food waste, while addressing growing food insecurity in Canada.

Today, Starbucks Canada announced it will further expand Starbucks FoodShare food rescue program nationally in partnership with Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization. The company has also reinforced its commitment to rescue 100 per cent of food available for donation to provide people in need with ready-to-eat meals, while helping to eliminate food waste from Starbucks stores.

Food insecurity has risen sharply with the pandemic in Canada, growing by nearly 39% in the first few months of the crisis, resulting in 1 in 7 Canadians struggling to feed themselves and their families.* In 2019, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2019/starbucks-foodshare-provides-food-to-those-in-need/">Starbucks announced FoodShare</a> in more than 250 stores in the Greater Toronto Area. While COVID-19 challenges put a pause on the expansion plans last year, Starbucks Canada and The Starbucks Foundation donated over $1 million of food and cash in 2020 to food banks, including Second Harvest&nbsp; and Food Banks Canada, and remains steadfast on helping to combat hunger and minimize its contribution to the wide-scale problem of food waste.

Beginning next month, Starbucks will expand FoodShare with Second Harvest to all Ontario Starbucks stores, followed by additional market launches in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Yukon and Atlantic Canada. The company expects the expansion to be complete by end of September. &nbsp;

“Food insecurity is an enormous challenge in Canada that worsened during the pandemic,” says Luisa Girotto, vice president of Public Affairs, Starbucks Canada. “We want 100 per cent of our donatable food to go to those who need it most in the communities we operate in, while helping to eliminate food waste and make progress towards our aspiration of becoming a resource-positive company.”

“We’re delighted to see the expansion of Starbucks’ food donation program, which reflects the strength of their commitment to keeping healthy, delicious food where it belongs: with people, not in landfill,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. “As we continue to deal with the pandemic’s impact, supporting the health of communities and the environment is crucial and we all have a role to play, now more than ever. Starbucks’ leadership in food recovery will have a major, national impact.”

Safely donating chilled, perishable food including breakfast sandwiches, paninis, protein boxes, yogurt, milk and dairy alternatives like soy, oat and coconut is critical and Starbucks and Second Harvest&nbsp; have implemented standards to ensure that all food maintains the correct temperature, texture and flavour so that when it reaches a person in need, it can be safely enjoyed.

How rescuing food is impacting lives

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Since Starbucks FoodShare first launched in Ontario, the company has made over 20,000 donations, providing <a>382,986 </a>meals to their local communities. Thousands of Canadian&nbsp;Starbucks partners (employees) have helped by donating&nbsp;food as part of their store closing routine.&nbsp;

“Partners take great pride in being the catalyst for this program. Every time they work a closing shift, they are reminded of their impact by putting food in the refrigerator to be recovered for people who need it instead of the trash,” says Girotto.

The impact of Starbucks FoodShare can also start to be seen and heard in local communities across the country through the difference it’s making on the non-profit organizations and the people they seek to help.

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Our commitment in action

In 2020, Starbucks committed to a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/kevin-johnson-letter-sustainability/">resource-positive future,</a> formalizing its sustainability commitment to cut its carbon, water, and waste footprints by half by 2030, aspiring to give more than it takes from the planet.

Starbucks FoodShare helps us limit avoidable food waste and diverting food surplus from landfill. To date, the program has prevented the release of more than 314,000 lbs of greenhouse gases and FoodShare will continue to be just one of the ways Starbucks is partnering with others to help take care of the planet we share.

*Source: <a href="https://blog.secondharvest.ca/2020/11/04/hunger-at-home-1-in-7-canadians-are-food-insecure-during-covid/">https://blog.secondharvest.ca/2020/11/04/hunger-at-home-1-in-7-canadians-are-food-insecure-during-covid/</a>

Today, Starbucks Canada announced it will further expand Starbucks FoodShare food rescue program nationally in partnership with Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization.

Starbucks Canada Commits to Rescue 100 per cent of Food Available with National Expansion of FoodShare - Starbucks Canada

Starbucks Canada Commits to Rescue 100 per cent of Food Available with National Expansion of FoodShare

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Foodshare

Starbucks FoodShare: Every Drop Matters

Starbucks FoodShare: Growing to Meet the Need

Starbucks FoodShare: Delivering Grace in Halton

Starbucks Canada Commits to Rescue 100 per cent of Food Available with National Expansion of FoodShare