More than 170 Starbucks partners engage in Community Connection activities across the region

Dubai, 01st September, 2013 - Making the world a better place cannot happen overnight, but it can certainly be achieved if we contribute to the community that we belong to.  As the world's leading coffee retail chain, Starbucks strongly believes in this and is as passionate about contributing to its community as it is about coffee.  Starbucks demonstrates its commitment through its Community Connection programme of initiatives.

The programme reflects Starbucks mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit.  The Community Connections programme is a global initiative which focuses on the environment, youth and education and is about making a difference in the communities in which Starbucks operates. Most importantly, it is led by Starbucks partners, its employees.

Across the Middle East and North Africa, more than 170 Starbucks partners have been very active in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt, by delivering initiatives related to education and the environment in the communities in which they operate.

Recently in Kuwait, Starbucks partners have taken it upon themselves to go out and make a difference in a number of ways.  At the Kuwait National English School, a team of Starbucks partners painted the library corridors, adorning them with educational mottos and engaged the students by holding a reading competition, which emphasised the importance of literacy. On a visit to the Zahraa Abeer Home for the Disabled, partners organised a day of educational fun and activities for the children with mental disabilities and donated educational books, board games, a foosball table and educational computer toys to support the needs of the children.

Starbucks partners went on to paint and redecorate the Abdulmajid Al Khanfar School's playing area, paint and redecorate the classrooms of the Nagat Private School and contributed to the environment by organising a cleanup of the Shuwaikh beach, making it a better environment for visitors.

Similar initiatives were taken across the region with the desire to create change. In the UAE,  partners participated in the Can Collection and Recycling campaign organised by the Emirates Environment Group. The campaign encouraged the local community to participate in making a difference to their environment and their commitment to protecting it.

Previously, partners visited the Tawam Cancer Hospital, creating an atmosphere of joy and excitement for the young patients, dressing up as clowns and offering children face painting. The day brought smiles to the children, lifting their spirits and making the event a worthy and memorable day.

In KSA, partners headed out to a public park, and coloured it green by planting trees. They repainted the park benches, the waste containers and the park's metal walls, and most importantly, made it a cleaner place for visitors. The team also visited the new Corniche for a cleanup activity and gave the children of the community a renovated and repaired playground.  The renovation of the Bin Khaldoun football playground, changing the goal posts and installing new nets, was also one of the initiatives taken on by Starbucks partners.

Lebanon also witnessed a wave of goodwill community service, dedication and commitment to work in its communities from Starbucks partners.  They helped renovate the Roupinian Public school, which educates students for free, by installing new carpets, repainting of classrooms and the replacement of basketball nets and boards. Starbucks partners also assisted in planting grass and flowers at the Bird's Nest Orphanage and adding grass carpet around its playground. The partners also presented the children with meals and gifts.

Starbucks connects people from all around the world, not only through the perfect cup of coffee, but also through its dedication and inspiring approach to change the world, one neighbourhood at a time.