Starbucks accepting donations for Hillsides, Pasadena

The amount of support Hillsides, a Pasadena foster care children’s charity, receives from the community at this time of year is a tremendous help in creating a memorable holiday season for all those the charity serves. To start off the holiday season, Starbucks stores in Pasadena, La Canada, Sierra Madre, La Crescenta, Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, Glendale and Sunland have found a way to reach customers and appeal to their hearts. Starbucks stores are hosting in-store promotional bins and posters for Hillsides, encouraging customers to donate holiday gifts that began Friday, December 2.

“Starbucks inspires and nurtures the human spirit one cup at a time and we, at Hillsides, do the same one child and one family at a time,” said Joe Costa, the charity’s CEO. “Working together with business partners gives us an opportunity to reach another audience who may not know about the needs in their own community. We need to raise awareness about the services and programs we offer to vulnerable children and families that changes their lives forever with everyone’s support.”

Starbucks’ philosophy in community service is the belief that being involved in their communities is not only the right thing to do, it’s also good business. Starbucks community service goal, based on its website (www.starbucks.com ), is for “Starbucks partners (employees) and customers to contribute more than one million hours of community service each year by 2015.”

“Every store is part of a community, and we take our responsibility to be good neighbors seriously. We want to be invited in wherever we do business. By partnering with great organizations like Hillsides, we can be a force for positive action by bringing together our partners, our customers, and our community of Pasadena.” said Jennifer Vanderpool, Starbucks district manager.

Holiday gifts and toys can be delivered to any Starbucks store in Pasadena before December 25. To make a monetary donation and sponsor winter outings for foster care and vulnerable children living at Hillsides, visit www.Hillsides.org or call 323-255-9005.

Founded 99 years ago, Hillsides is a Pasadena residential treatment center and community-based children’s charity that serves vulnerable children and families living in Los Angeles County. To learn more about the foster care children’s charity, visit www.Hillsides.org and its Education Center at www.HillsidesEducationCenter.org.