Starbucks donates $1.7 million to Feeding America to support equitable access to food

The donation will be distributed as grants to 16 local food banks that serve under-resourced communities experiencing high rates of food insecurity.

As 1 in 8 people in the United States faces hunger, Starbucks is committed to helping address the growing need for food assistance across the nation. Today, the company is announcing a $1.7 million donation to Feeding America to advance equitable access to nutritious food.

The equitable food access grants will be distributed to 16 local Feeding America member food banks located near Starbucks Community Stores. The grants are designed to help food banks provide nutritious food to households with individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residing in communities experiencing high rates of food insecurity.

This announcement builds on $2.69 million invested in food bank mobile pantry programs since 2019, and $45 million overall invested in hunger relief nationwide.

“For the last 50 years and still today, Starbucks believes it is our role and responsibility to help strengthen the communities we serve, and in partnership with Feeding America, we are tackling hunger with a focus on equity,” said Camille Hymes, Starbucks vice president of community impact.

“The equitable food access grants are a unique opportunity to combine efforts with our Community Stores across the country, which are specifically designed to support historically under-resourced communities through local partnerships and economic opportunity, to increase access to nutritious food for people that need it most.”

Since 2016, Starbucks has been committed to the fight against hunger through its innovative FoodShare program in partnership with Feeding America and other hunger-relief organizations and has donated, so far, nearly 34 million nourishing, ready-to-eat meals* to local food banks across the U.S. One hundred percent of all U.S. company-operated stores, almost 9,000 stores nationwide, are now participating in the FoodShare program. Starbucks has also announced a reinvestment of $100 million dollars in hunger relief initiatives over the next 10 years.

“Food is an absolutely essential building block for opportunity, whether it’s fueling success at school or work, or helping someone to stay healthy,” said Radha Muthiah, president and chief executive officer of the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington D.C., one of the Starbucks equitable food access grant recipients.

FoodShare started in 2016 after Starbucks partners (employees) advocated for a program that would allow stores to donate unsold food and distribute it to people facing hunger in communities across the U.S. In response to their call for action, working with Feeding America®, Starbucks invested in research and quality assurance testing to develop a program to safely donate nourishing food to people who face hunger.  

Food insecurity remains an urgent issue due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. As more people have turned to food banks to help feed their families, Feeding America®, estimates that more than 42 million people, including 13 million children in the U.S., may experience food insecurity in 2021. This national crisis disproportionately affects BIPOC communities, with 21 percent of Black individuals experiencing food insecurity this year, compared to 11 percent of white individuals, according to Feeding America projections.

“We’re grateful for partners like Starbucks,” said Muthiah, “whose support will enable us to continue learning from the individuals we serve about their needs and expand access to food and opportunity for more people across our region.”

*According to the USDA, 1.2 pounds of food is the equivalent to one meal.

Photos by Connor Surdi