Starbucks offers free coffee to those who join Obama volunteer corps

Starbucks Coffee wants U.S. consumers to jump on president-elect Barack Obama’s volunteer bandwagon and pledge to join one of his community service corps.

Obama and incoming first lady Michelle Obama want Americans to do community service the week of his inauguration Jan. 20. and commit this year to one of his so-called national service corps that will do volunteer work in schools and related to the environment.

Starbucks said it will offer free “tall” coffee beginning Wednesday through Sunday for customers who fill out community service pledge cards at the coffee chain’s locations.

Starbucks wants customers to commit to five hours this year for community service and volunteer programs.

“Five hours is just 25 minutes a month for a year, two afternoons at a food bank creating care packages, a day reading to children at a hospital or in a park planting trees,” said Vivek Varma, senior vice president of global affairs for Starbucks in a statement.
[link to www.bizjournals.com]