RE: Starbucks Denies Coffee To American Troops
Recently the rumor that Starbucks Coffee Company does not "support our troops" has resurfaced in my little corner of the internet world. This rumor- one that's almost as old as the Iraq war itself, therefore is really nothing new- was laid to rest a long time ago, but I feel as though I should say something about it, as I'm a Starbucks partner. My opinion does not reflect the "official" stance of the company, and that's the beauty of it, really- we can all have our own opinions and still be allowed to work someplace or live someplace or call ourselves "American".
Starbucks is a multi-national corporation, operating over 13,000 stores in 40 countries. They also employ close to 150,000 people in all of these countries, in addition to the millions that they serve every day. That's a lot of Americans and Canadians and Chinese and Arabian and British and German and French and Mexican (the list goes on) people and Starbucks firmly believes that it is these people that make their company, not their CEOs or operational headquarters that happen to be based on American soil. So when a certain group of people- the American military- representing just one of the 40 countries that the people of Starbucks represent, approaches the company asking for a very public donation, the company would be sending a message to the other 39 countries it represents saying "Hey, we're cool with this." Through the eyes of most Americans, it may have looked like a simple act of generously supporting American troops. To the people in the other 39 countries where Starbucks employs and serves, this may have been taken as a slap in the face. While this could be portrayed simply as a "business move" to protect Starbucks' international reputation and make the "evil corporation" more money, no one, including Starbucks, wants to slap millions of people in the face.
What Starbucks has done in the absence of a company-mandated donation strategy is much broader and, in my opinion, much more effective. The company encouraged individual stores to connect with their community- another thing that Starbucks firmly believes in- by teaming with local and national organizations to collect coffee donations from customers and employees. For the past year, my particular store has worked with a non-profit group based out of Florida, in which we set out a basket in our café and encouraged people to buy a pound of coffee to donate to our troops. Our employees also donated their weekly free pound of coffee to the cause, and a few even bought the coffee to donate as well. When the basket fills up, we send the coffee to Florida, where they ship it to Iraq and Afghanistan to be distributed to our troops on the ground.
This may not seem like much compared to a large corporate donation that Starbucks could've chosen to give. But I know that we are not the only store that does this, and if every one of the 9,400 stores in the United States took the initiative with a program like this and collected just 25 pounds in their basket, we'd be able to get all of our troops 2 or 3 pounds EACH in just the first shipment!
I think most of all, though, this encourages us to take action on our own, to stand up and take responsibility for doing something good beyond waving flags and buying magnetic ribbons for our cars, and sending out chain letters telling our friends where and where not to shop. Don't wait for corporations like Starbucks or government agencies to take the first step- it should be you and me who are taking the first steps.
I strongly support our troops, as I have many friends in the military, and wish them the best in their missions overseas and a safe return home. I also wish them good, strong cups of coffee, and I can say that I'm doing my part in my little corner of the world to get it to them.
Best Regards,
Ian Campbell
Starbucks Shift Supervisor
Hopkins, MN
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Body: STARBUCKS DENIES COFFEE TO MARINES
Recently Marines in Iraq wrote to Starbucks because they wanted to let them know how much they liked their coffees and to request that they send some of it to the troops there.
Starbucks replied, telling the Marines thank you for their support of their business, but that Starbucks does not support the war, nor anyone in it, and that they would not send the troops their brand of coffee.
So as not to offend Starbucks, maybe we should not support them by buying any of their products! As a war vet writing to fellow patriots, I feel we should get this out in the open. I know this war might not be very popular with some folks, but that doesn't mean we don't support the boys on the ground fighting street-to-street and house-to-house for what they and I believe is right.
If you feel the same as I do then pass this along, or you can discard it and no one will ever know. Thanks very much for your support. I know you'll all be there again when I deploy once more.
"Semper Fidelis."
Sgt Howard C. Wright
1st Force Recon Co
1st Plt PLT
PLEASE DON'T DELETE THIS .. ALLOW IT TO BE PASSED TO ALL IN MEMORY OFALL THE TROOPS WHO HAVE DIED SO THAT WE MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE TOSUPPORT THEM OR NOT!!!
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