Starbucks sponsors coat drive for the local needy

If you're willing to give it to them, Starbucks wants your coat.

Representatives from Philadelphia Cares -- a community service outreach organization -- passed out free Starbucks coffee and snacks at the University City vendor yesterday to encourage community donations.

The drive, now in its sixth year, is designed to gather coats to donate to students at local public schools, the homeless and area senior citizens.

Starbucks will be accepting donations until Jan. 21.

Last year, Philadelphia Cares distributed over 6,000 coats throughout the area.

Cares organizes about 10,000 volunteers each year to participate in various community projects, ranging from clearing Fairmount Park of litter to serving meals for the homeless.

Starbucks is sponsoring this year's coat drive at three Philadelphia locations, including its store at 34th and Walnut streets, according to Anthony Johnson, the director of communications for Philadelphia Cares. This is the first year that Starbucks is the sponsor.

As the sponsor of this year's drive, not only are Starbucks stores being used as collections sites, but the coffee chain is fully funding the sorting site for this year's stock of coats.

Organizers remain optimistic about this year's drive.

"Each year it seems to get larger and larger," Johnson said.

Janice Lion, a recent hire at Philadelphia Cares, said she was impressed by the organization's accomplishments and excited about her new involvement with the group.

"I moved to Philadelphia and took the job," she said.

"A good percentage of our volunteers are new in town," she added.

Kristine Billmyer, director of the English Language Program and a faculty member at the Graduate School of Education, said that she will donate three coats to this year's drive because she trusts Philadelphia Cares.

"I've heard about Philadelphia Cares, so I know they are not going to go off and sell my coat to the highest bidder," she said.

Billmyer said she usually donates her coats to the Salvation Army.

However, she decided to donate to Philadelphia Cares this year because "this is even more convenient."

And being close to the action, most of the employees at the 34th and Walnut location will be donating their own coats to this year's drive, said Starbucks supervisor Staci Hagenbangh.

"Everyone here is 100 percent backing Philadelphia Cares," Hagenbangh said.

But still, Hagenbangh said she wishes that they had received more coats.

While the store was packed with coffee drinkers, some students were unaware that the drive was taking place.

College Senior Felicia Yang said she did not even notice the coat drive while entering the store.

"It looks like there is free food but I didn't really take the time to check it out," she said. Yang said she felt that more advertising would have helped.

Cares is part of a larger national organization called City Cares, which has partnered with Starbucks on a national level this year to fund community service efforts in cities across the nation.

The Philadelphia chapter of Cares was founded in 1994 in order to "design and manage volunteer projects that connect people and community needs," Johnson said.

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