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Starbucks is taking several actions to protect the health and well-being of our partners (employees) and customers and to control the spread of COVID-19. All decisions are grounded in partner and customer care and safety, based on facts and science, and communicated with transparency. Read below for an at-a-glance overview.

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Your Starbucks Experience may look different as we navigate this dynamic situation community-by-community and store-by-store. Our commitment to you is that we will continue to make proactive decisions for our partners and the people we serve.

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Starbucks is offering support with comprehensive care to all our store partners including a recently announced wage increase, mental health benefits and paid time for sick days and family care.

While stores across the country continue to support communities at local levels, we have assembled the biggest, most comprehensive donation program in the history of Starbucks Canada to support Canadians across the country in three areas: first responders and front-line workers; access to food; and support for the most vulnerable Canadians.

Thanking front-line responders: The Starbucks Foundation donated $100,000 to COVID-19 fundraising drives set up by hospital foundations in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. And, to say thank you, Starbucks offered <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-covid-19-front-line-responders/">free brewed coffee (hot or iced) to all front-line responders</a> from March until May 2020. To date, our partners have served <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/1-million-cups-of-free-coffee-served-to-front-line-responders/">more than one million cups of free coffee </a>to first responders and front-line healthcare workers across Canada and the U.S.

Helping vulnerable Canadians: $100,000 from The Starbucks Foundation went to <a href="https://www.unitedway.ca/">United Way Centraide</a>’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. The donation will help the United Way accomplish its priorities: to ensure people in self-isolation have basic needs, such as food and supplies; to give support to seniors in isolation; and to ensure mental health services are available to vulnerable Canadians.

Supporting food banks: Starbucks Canada and The Starbucks Foundation donated <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-donates-over-1-million-to-help-growing-food-crisis/">over $1 million in food and financial support</a> to help the complex changing realities of food banks and community outreach organizations during COVID-19. This includes helping them shift their operational needs and providing drivers from Starbucks Canada’s foodservice distributor GFS (Gordon Food Service) to deliver food to those most in need.

Neighbourhood Grants: Throughout the pandemic, the Starbucks Foundation <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-invests-145k-in-grants-to-support-local-communities-across-canada/">has been making rounds of donations</a> to hundreds of organizations across Canada, and is currently reviewing a record number of nominations made by stores in the latest round. These grants were informed and inspired by Starbucks partners who highlighted the causes and organizations uplifting their communities during COVID-19. In Canada, we heard from our partners about how hunger relief, supporting families and children, and addressing homelessness are top of mind. Additionally, Starbucks partners are volunteering their time and making their own financial donations to local charities across the country.

Starbucks is taking several actions to protect the health and well-being of our partners (employees) and customers and to control the spread of COVID-19. Here’s what you need to know.

At a Glance: What Customers Need to Know about Starbucks Response to COVID-19

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Starbucks Canada

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2022/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/

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At a Glance: Our Response to COVID-19

Coffee for your plants? In an effort to reduce waste, Starbucks offers free coffee grounds for gardeners with local program.

Dubbed as the&nbsp;unofficial start of summer, the&nbsp;May long weekend is around the corner, and Canadians are dusting off their gardening tools to start planting outdoors.&nbsp;Starbucks is here to help gardeners show some extra love to their plants and flowers this season, while also helping the environment

Starbucks serves&nbsp;freshly brewed&nbsp;coffee to millions of customers each day, but many may not know they can also pick up a free bag of used coffee grounds to enrich their gardens and compost with its in-store program, Grounds For Your Garden.&nbsp;Starbucks started its Grounds For Your Garden&nbsp;program in 1995, which is offered on a first-come, first-served basis in participating stores for free to customers. Even the packaging has been reused – baristas scoop spent coffee grounds into the empty bags originally used to ship espresso beans to stores.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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For over 25 years, customers have taken advantage of Grounds For Your Garden at their local Starbucks. Deepak has been picking up bags of coffee grounds from his local store in Ontario, for his community garden to nourish and prepare his soil for growing fresh produce. His garden, filled with vegetable seeds and fresh greens, was first created to share homegrown food with a few neighbours. Now, he makes his harvest available to help others in the community who face challenges accessing fresh food due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions.

“After volunteering with similar community programs, we were inspired to grow our own garden to help those nearby in need,” said Deepak. “Especially in times like we are in now, it’s important for us to share the resources we have available. Thanks to the program at our local Starbucks, we can help provide access to fresh food in our community, while also re-using coffee grounds for a better purpose.”

On top of keeping pests&nbsp;away, Deepak shared that the coffee grounds, in combination with his kitchen composter,&nbsp;have helped nourish the soil to produce better greens, including Spinach and Kale, that were most recently harvested for his community members.&nbsp;

Ashley Bonar is the store manager at the Starbucks Deepak regularly visits. Ashley looks forwards to seeing customers take advantage of her location’s Grounds For Your Garden program.

“This is a win-win program for both our partners, customers and the planet. We love seeing the beautiful gardens Deepak and all our customers in the community who use this program grow. Plus, our partners feel so much pride and joy packing the bags of coffee grounds to be used in the community, while also reducing our waste,” said Ashley Bonar, Starbucks Store Manager and Co-Chair of Starbucks Canada Partners for Sustainability.

Grounds For Your Garden has evolved to become an important part of Starbucks effort to reduce the environmental impact of its stores. Although composting may not be commercially available in all municipalities, the program serves as another way to reuse coffee&nbsp;grounds to&nbsp;prevent one of the company’s largest waste contributor (by volume and weight) going to landfills. This is just one of the programs that supports the company’s&nbsp;bold, multi-decade aspiration to cut carbon, water and waste each by 50 percent by 2030 and give back to the planet by <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-sustainability-commitment-infographic/">becoming resource positive</a> in the future.

Treat your garden and check with your&nbsp;Barista&nbsp;to see if used coffee grounds are available at your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.starbucks.ca/store-locator?map=57.751076,-101.645508,4z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">local Starbucks</a>.&nbsp;

Starbucks started its Grounds For Your Garden program in 1995, which is offered on a first-come, first-served basis in participating stores for free to customers.

Starbucks Grounds For Your Garden: Rooted in a Mission to Help Local Communities Grow - Starbucks Canada

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Starbucks Grounds For Your Garden: Rooted in a Mission to Help Local Communities Grow

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2021/starbucks-grounds-for-your-garden-rooted-in-a-mission-to-help-local-communities-grow/

A letter to our Canadian partners (employees) from Lori Digulla, president of Starbucks Canada

I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart. The flexibility and responsibility I’m seeing in every store I’ve been in since we started to modify our operations in response to COVID-19 as well as the continued Best Moments for our customers and each other is amazing. There have been new processes and changes to adapt to in our stores, and in our personal lives, all while experiencing the uncertainty of what’s next. I know this can be hard and heavy, and I thank you so very much for your courage to lead through it.

The best way I can stay present is to stay centred on what’s important. I remind myself with every new report or government decision that I, and all Starbucks leaders, will make the best decisions when we are grounded in partner care, the important role we play in our communities, decision-making based in facts and science, combined with frequent communication.

Over the last two weeks we have <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="activated precautions (opens in a new tab)" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/managing-through-the-dynamics-of-covid-19/" target="_blank">activated precautions</a> in all stores nationwide – from increased cleaning and sanitizing to pausing reusable cups – we <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="expanded catastrophe pay (opens in a new tab)">expanded catastrophe pay</a> for partners impacted by COVID-19 so you never have to choose between work and taking care of your health, and we enacted travel-related self-isolation requirements to support social distancing.

We considered what else we could do to support social distancing and discourage prolonged social gatherings, given this is important to curbing the spread of the virus. Starting today, and for at least two weeks: 

We are&nbsp;temporarily moving all stores to a “to go” model. These are the actions we know are effective based on our experience in China and here’s what you can expect:

We are temporarily closing company-operated stores in high-social gathering locations like stores located in malls that don’t have exterior/street access, and in colleges and universities. &nbsp;

We have also begun leaning into&nbsp;additional measures on a store-by-store basis, including reducing operating hours or temporarily closing select stores.

These changes start today and will last for at least two weeks. All stores in Canada will move to the “to go” model by Wednesday, and these closures will be complete by the end of the week. [Starbucks ceo] Kevin Johnson outlined those options <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="in a letter last week (opens in a new tab)" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/our-role-and-responsibility-navigating-through-covid-19/" target="_blank">in a letter last week</a> and we will continue to monitor facts at a local level to make the best decision for each community we’re honoured to be a part of.

We connected with your field leaders and store managers, and they are ready to work with you to make these temporary changes and ensure partners are feeling fully supported. We’re sorry, that for the time being, customers will not be able to sit in our stores and enjoy the Third Place we work so hard to offer them every day. This decision was not made lightly as we know the important role our stores play in service of our communities and how our customers enjoy our seating as an important part of their daily lives. I find some comfort knowing that most of our customers already get their order “to go,” many of our customers who typically use our café seating are also used to visiting us at MOP and Drive Thru, and the growing importance of social distancing and curbing larger gatherings is really about keeping them, you, and all of us safer. 

Partner care is the top priority and we will take care of anyone impacted by these changes. Our expanded Catastrophe Pay program, which was shared last week, will apply when you are unable to work due to you or someone close to you having symptoms or confirmed diagnosis, or due to a store closure. We have also decided to supplement partner pay with Catastrophe Pay when working partners experience a reduction in scheduled hours.&nbsp;

To further assist partners who may experience financial hardships, Starbucks has also made the decision to&nbsp;invest up to an additional $10 million into the&nbsp;emergency financial aid CUP Fund&nbsp;and other resources globally to support partners’ needs beyond pay. As you know, the CUP Fund was put in place to help partners during times of special need and we are currently reviewing the eligibility categories and approval process to expedite grants during these uncertain times. We will have updated partner FAQs and more information published for you in a few days. In the meantime, please remember and remind each other of all the support available to you including&nbsp;&nbsp;paid sick time, access to health care resources, as well as support like our <a href="https://work.headspace.com/starbucks/member-enroll/login" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">free&nbsp;Headspace subscriptions</a>, and our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Employee Assistance Program (opens in a new tab)" href="https://departments.starbucks.com/sites/canadapartnerfamily/en-us/Pages/Employee-Assistance-Program-(Canada).aspx" target="_blank">Employee Assistance Program</a> (EAP) for free mental health counseling for all partners. And remember – the Partner Resources Support Center (888-SBUX-411), your field leaders, and every support partner are all here to help.&nbsp;

I expect things will continue to evolve before COVID-19 is past us, and we will continue to prioritize what’s best for you, your families and our customers, informed by science and facts. All 23,000 of us have already proven ourselves nimble, courageous and so true to our culture, I’ve never felt prouder to be a partner. Again, THANK YOU so very much and I sincerely look forward to the day we can welcome all our customers to come sit and stay in our wonderful Third Place of warmth and belonging.

In a letter to our Canadian partners (employees), Lori Digulla, president of Starbucks Canada, outlines how we will temporarily move all stores to a “to go” model.

Caring for Our Partners and Customers during COVID-19

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/caring-for-our-partners-and-customers-during-covid-19/

Starbucks is committed to caring for the health and well-being of our partners and customers and playing a constructive role in supporting local health officials and government leaders. Read about the latest decisions being made by the company and the actions being taken in preparation for COVID-19.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-safety-precautions-in-light-of-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here for a list of Starbucks precautionary measures</a> in company-operated stores located in Canada.

<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Click here for an at-a-glance look (opens in a new tab)" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/" target="_blank">Click here for an at-a-glance look</a> at what customers need to know about their local store, Starbucks partners, and their community.

Updated as of 9:30 a.m. July 8

An Update on Facial Coverings

We all have a shared responsibility to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. In its continued commitment to prioritize the health and well-being of partners (employees) and customers, Starbucks remains dedicated to playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials as they work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.&nbsp;

With widespread vaccine availability and the ongoing progress against COVID-19, Starbucks will follow&nbsp;local&nbsp;guidance and will lift&nbsp;mandatory&nbsp;facial covering&nbsp;requirements for customers, only where and when legally allowed&nbsp;by local government and public health units. Out of an abundance of caution, all Starbucks partners at company-operated locations in Canada will still be required to wear masks and any other locally mandated PPE during their shifts.

For information on additional safety measures and what customers can expect click&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here for an at-a-glance</a>&nbsp;guide for customers.

Updated as of 12:30 p.m. May 10

Starbucks Continues to Support&nbsp;its Partners with new Temporary&nbsp;COVID-19 Sick Days&nbsp;

As Starbucks continues to explore all the ways to support its people the best it can as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the company announced it will be offering&nbsp;three COVID-19 sick days&nbsp;to&nbsp;all&nbsp;its Canadian retail hourly partners. This is the latest update to&nbsp;company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">existing comprehensive partner benefits</a>, which now includes:&nbsp;

Updated as of 1 p.m. April 26

Starbucks Canada Continues to Update its COVID-19 Benefits for Partners

With partner (employee) safety top of mind, Starbucks Canada announced additional updates to its <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/">existing comprehensive partner benefits</a> including:

Updated as of 4:30 p.m. February 22

Starbucks Canada Offers Vaccine Pay and Expanded COVID-19 Benefits for Partners

In continuing the company’s commitment to prioritizing partner (employee) care and safety throughout COVID-19,&nbsp;Starbucks&nbsp;Canada announced an update on vaccine pay and expanded COVID-19 benefits&nbsp;for Canadian partners.&nbsp;

Updates to the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/">existing comprehensive partner benefits</a> include:&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Updated as of 3:30 p.m. November 25

Starbucks Canada Moves to a “To Go” Model in All Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Stores

Starbucks Canada confirmed today that company-operated stores in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will move to a “to go” model. Customers will still be able to walk into Starbucks stores and order at the counter, order ahead through the Starbucks App and pick up in store, order at the Drive-Thru, and in select areas can also order Starbucks Delivers powered by Uber Eats. However, all seating will be temporarily paused or removed, including patio and outdoor areas.

Updated as of 8&nbsp;a.m. October 1

Starbucks Temporarily Moves to a “To Go” Model in All Quebec and Ottawa Stores

This week, Starbucks Canada will temporarily modify its operations in all its company-operated stores in Quebec and Ottawa to a grab and go model.

This latest move in the company’s efforts to keep partners (employees), customers and communities safe follows the Quebec government’s mandate that restaurants move to grab and go in three districts in the province as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

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Updated as of 1:00 p.m. August 31

Protecting Partners and Customers – An Update on Facial Coverings

In its continued commitment to prioritize the health and well-being of partners (employees) and customers and to control the spread of COVID-19, Starbucks today announced that beginning on September 14, it will require customers to wear facial coverings while visiting all company-owned café locations in Canada.

At select locations, customers will still have various options to order from Starbucks, including ordering at the drive-thru, curbside pickup through the Starbucks app or placing an order for delivery through Starbucks Delivers.

The company is committed to playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials as they work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.&nbsp;All decisions are grounded in partner and customer care and safety, based on facts and science, and communicated with transparency.

For information on additional safety measures and what customers can expect click&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/" target="_blank">here for an at-a-glance</a>&nbsp;guide for customers.

Updated as of 8:00 a.m. June 29

Starbucks Canada to Begin Testing Curbside Pickup

Starbucks Canada is accelerating the transformation of its stores with the launch of Curbside Pickup as customer needs of convenience, connection and personalization continue to evolve and retail landscapes shift as a result of COVID-19. The company will begin testing in 10 stores in Ontario cities starting July 9 and will add 20 additional test locations in Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area through the summer.

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Updated as of 8:00 a.m. June 22

The Starbucks Foundation Invests $145,000 in Grants to Support Local Communities across Canada

To build on its contributions toward COVID-19 community response to date, The Starbucks Foundation has selected more than 400 organizations across Canada and the U.S. to receive grants in its third round of Neighbourhood Grants. These grants, which total $1.4 million, were informed and inspired by Starbucks partners who highlighted the causes and organizations uplifting their communities during COVID-19.

In Canada, we heard from our partners about how hunger relief, supporting families and children, and addressing homelessness are top of mind. Thanks to nearly 400 partner nominations, $145,000 in grants are being distributed to 56 local organizations across the country.&nbsp;

Updated as of 11:30 a.m. June 11

Starbucks Canada Aims to Reopen Nearly Half of Stores for Dine In by the End of June

Starbucks Canada is reopening cafes and patio seating for customers, aiming to have nearly half of its company-owned stores open by the end of June. The company will reopen for dine in on a community-by-community basis, starting in B.C. where 16 stores opened last week. Starbucks is working closely with local leadership, health authorities and provincial governments as restrictions start to lift across the country.

Updated as of 8 a.m. May 28

Starbucks Canada Welcomes Customers Back in Stores with Grab-and-Go Service

With <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-prioritizes-safety-as-it-resumes-store-operations/" target="_blank">partner (employee) and customer safety</a> top of mind, Starbucks Canada is set to open its cafe&nbsp;doors and welcome customers for walk-in take-out orders. By this weekend, two-thirds of stores across Canada will offer grab-and-go service,&nbsp;which means customers can go inside a cafe to place their order to go, but all in-cafe and patio seating will remain closed.

The grab-and-go model continues to prioritize safety. When a customer walks into a cafe to order at the counter, they will notice floor markers and signage directing them where to stand to remain physically distant. There will also be a plexi-shield at the POS as an added barrier to protect partners and customers. Partners will wear facial coverings and adhere to Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">safety measures</a>.

To learn how customers can grab-and-go with Starbucks, watch the video below.

Updated as of 8 a.m. May 21

How the Starbucks App Evolved into a Tool for Customers Amid COVID-19

Over the past few weeks, the&nbsp;third place&nbsp;experience created by Starbucks partners (employees) in our stores has extended and evolved into an enhanced digital relationship with customers through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.starbucks.ca/coffeehouse%2Fmobile-apps" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks App</a>.&nbsp;

The Starbucks App provides a safe, easy, and convenient way for customers to enjoy their favourite menu items. Customers can order ahead and pay with the Starbucks App at participating stores, which not only saves time, but helps minimize contact with partners and other customers.

To see how customers can use the Starbucks App, watch the video below.

Updated as of 9 a.m. May 11

Starbucks Canada Prioritizes Safety as it Resumes Store Operations

As the global crisis evolved, Starbucks Canada tested and refined new ways of working to protect the health and well-being of its partners and customers, consistent with the guidance provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada, provincial governments and safety experts.&nbsp;

Now, as Starbucks is on track to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-expects-to-resume-operations-in-as-many-stores-as-possible-by-the-end-of-may/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resume operations in as many stores as possible</a> by the end of May, partner and customer safety continues to be the company’s No. 1 priority.&nbsp;

Updated as of 9:35 a.m. April 29

Starbucks Canada Expects to Resume Operations in as Many Stores as Possible by the End of May

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Starbucks Canada made the decision to step back and rethink what partner (employee) and customer safety looked like. Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-to-close-cafes-and-move-to-drive-thru-and-delivery-only/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">closed most company-operated cafés</a>&nbsp;and reduced its service to Drive-Thru, delivery, and take-out only.&nbsp;

These open stores have helped Starbucks test and refine new ways of working, specifically in this social-distancing environment, and now, the company is ready to roll out its new model more broadly.

Over the following days and weeks, customers will have access to more stores, and the company expects to&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-expects-to-resume-operations-in-as-many-stores-as-possible-by-the-end-of-may/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resume operations in as many stores as possible by the end of May</a>.&nbsp;This will be determined on a community-by-community basis as Starbucks continues to prioritize the health and well-being of its customers and partners.

<div class="wp-block-button aligncenter"><a class="wp-block-button__link no-border-radius" style="color: #ffffff" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-expects-to-resume-operations-in-as-many-stores-as-possible-by-the-end-of-may/" target="_blank" rel="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-expects-to-resume-operations-in-as-many-stores-as-possible-by-the-end-of-may/ noopener noreferrer">Read the full announcement</a></div>

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To learn about what customers can expect, watch the video below.

Updated as of 9 a.m. April 23

Starbucks has Served over 1 Million Cups of Free Coffee to First Responders who are Tirelessly Serving our Communities

As of today, we can proudly say that over the last few weeks, our partners have served more than one million cups of free coffee to first responders and front-line healthcare workers across Canada and the U.S.

In Canada, specifically, our partners have served more than 112,000 cups to front-line workers. But coffee isn’t the only way Starbucks is supporting those who are serving our communities through the COVID-19 crisis.

<div class="wp-block-button aligncenter"><a class="wp-block-button__link no-border-radius" style="color: #ffffff" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/1-million-cups-of-free-coffee-served-to-front-line-responders/" target="_blank" rel="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-donates-over-1-million-to-help-growing-food-crisis/ noopener noreferrer"> Learn more</a></div>

Updated as of 8 a.m. April 16

Starbucks Canada and The Starbucks Foundation Donate over $1M in Food and Financial Support to Help the Food Crisis

Thousands of vulnerable Canadians are at risk of going hungry during the COVID-19 pandemic because the system they rely on for food is overwhelmed. Right now, food banks are in dire need of volunteers, food and monetary donations. That’s why Starbucks Canada and The Starbucks Foundation are donating over $1 million in food and funds to Food Banks Canada, Second Harvest, Yonge Street Mission, and Woods Homes to help vulnerable Canadians get access to food. 

Updated as of 5:30 p.m. April 1

Starbucks Extends Its Already Expanded COVID-19 Support for Partners

As we continue to navigate through the uncertainty of COVID-19, Starbucks is increasing its already expanded support for its partners (employees), customers, and communities. Through this lens of care and support for people, the company has and will continue to make all decisions, rooted in facts and science, in cooperation with local authorities.

“As we look ahead,&nbsp;your safety and well-being remain our top priority&nbsp;as the situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve,” wrote Lori Digulla, Starbucks Canada president, in a letter to all partners today.

In her letter, Digulla outlined important announcements related to partner, customer, and community care.

Updated as of 7 p.m. March 20

Starbucks Canada To Close Cafés and Move to Drive-Thru and Delivery Only

Starting today, effective immediately, Starbucks will close access to its cafés and move to drive-thru and delivery only. Some exceptions will be made for those cafés serving in or around hospitals and health care centers in the company’s efforts to serve first responders, health care workers, and their incredible support staff.

Starbucks Canada president Lori Digulla made the announcement in a letter to all partners today. “Thank you so much for all you’re doing, and above all else know that all our decisions are balancing partner and customer care, with science and facts, to serve our communities in the most impactful way we can as long as it is safe to do so,” she wrote.

Read about the latest decisions being made by Starbucks and the actions being taken in preparation for COVID-19.

Navigating through COVID-19

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/navigating-through-covid-19/

A letter to Starbucks Customers and Starbucks Rewards Members from Kevin Johnson, Starbucks ceo and president

The world is grappling with an issue of enormous scale and human impact, and our hearts go out to all who have been affected by the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19). 

At Starbucks, we believe it is our role and responsibility during this time to prioritize two things: the health and well-being of our customers and partners while also playing a constructive role in supporting local health officials and government leaders as they work to contain the virus. Through that lens, we will continue to make decisions with vigilance and courage informed by the latest science-based information and guided by Our Mission and Values.

I wanted to personally reach out to you and provide an update on the actions that Starbucks is taking to help prevent the spread of the virus and support the health and well-being of our customers, our partners (employees) and our communities.

You may be aware that over the last few weeks we have taken a series of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/managing-through-the-dynamics-of-covid-19/" target="_blank">precautionary steps</a> in response to this developing public health impact, including increased cleaning and sanitizing procedures for our stores. We have also prepared our stores to respond quickly to any emerging situation, leveraging the considerable insights we’ve gained from our experience in China, where we continue to see encouraging signs of recovery with over 90% of stores reopened.

We appreciate your understanding that, as a customer, your Starbucks Experience may look different as we navigate through this time together. While we are currently maintaining regular operations across the U.S. and Canada, our stores are prepared to modify operations with options that still allow us to serve you your favourite beverage and food. This means that as we navigate this dynamic situation community by community and store by store, we may adapt the store experience by limiting seating to improve social distancing, enable mobile order-only scenarios for pickup via the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.starbucks.ca/coffeehouse/mobile-apps" target="_blank">Starbucks App</a> or delivery via Uber Eats, or in some cases only the Drive Thru will be open.&nbsp; As a last resort, we will close a store if we feel it is in the best interest of our customers and partners, or if we are directed to do so by government authorities. In any such situation, we expect store disruption to be temporary.

I want to also thank you for supporting our Starbucks partners who proudly wear the green apron.&nbsp;We have a long-standing history of caring for our partners, recognizing they are the heartbeat of Starbucks. That is why, as we navigate this dynamic situation, in addition to our sick leave benefit and mental health offerings, we are also <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="expanding catastrophe pay (opens in a new tab)">expanding catastrophe pay</a> so that partners do not need to feel like they need to choose between their health and their work.

Thank you for being a loyal customer. It is our intent to remain transparent, providing the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/navigating-through-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="latest information from Starbucks here (opens in a new tab)">latest information from Starbucks here</a>.

Starbucks resilience is owed to our unwavering Mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.&nbsp; 

We are privileged to serve you and your community and look forward to seeing you soon.&nbsp; 

A letter to Starbucks customers from Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson.

Our Role And Responsibility — Navigating Through COVID-19

Letter to Customers: Our Role And Responsibility in Navigating Through COVID-19

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/our-role-and-responsibility-navigating-through-covid-19/