In addition to sponsoring our Hunger Action Month giving match in September, Starbucks rolled out it’s FoodShare donation program in San Francisco and Marin this year. Every day, they donate thousands of pounds of freshly prepared, unsold food, which the Food Bank gathers, then delivers daily to partners like St. Anthony’s Dining Room and GLIDE Memorial Church. The food is then served to our community’s most vulnerable residents, including homeless neighbors. We recently sat down with Matt Green, Regional Vice President for Starbucks to learn more about what inspires Starbucks and their employees to give back.

5 Questions with Matt Green, Regional Vice President for Starbucks

1) Why does your company support the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank?

At Starbucks, we are committed to donating 100% of unsold food from our stores every day.  Without the support from the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, we could not make this happen. We are happy to partner in ensuring food goes to those most in need.

2) What are your philanthropic goals?

As a company serving communities globally, we are committed to giving back.  From food donations, to creating jobs and volunteering our time.  Its core to our mission and values as a company: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

3) What are the ways you and your employees give back?

Community service is a cornerstone of our commitment to each community we serve.  Our partners often work in the same communities they live in and making an impact is something that drives many of them. It’s part of the pride that comes with putting on the green apron…doing our part to not only deliver the Starbucks Experience to customers but making a difference in the communities we serve.

4) What advice do you have for your corporate peers when it comes to giving back to the community?

We take a great deal of pride in setting an example and working with other companies and organizations to create even bigger impact…we are always happy to share in the things we are doing and working with others to help.

5) What is something your company is doing that would surprise our readers?

Starbucks is not only innovating how we support our local communities we serve, but also how we support our employees as well! We have launched a program with Arizona State University to support part-time and full-time employees with 100% tuition coverage to earn their bachelor’s degree. To date we have supported 2,000 graduates and 10,000 current students.

Click here to see photos from the Starbucks FoodShare volunteer event in our warehouse.