Starbucks Supports Local Revitalization and Youth Hiring in Miami Gardens

MIAMI GARDENS (Oct. 13) – On Monday, Oct. 16, #starbucks will open a new store in #miamigardens, Fla., the latest in the company’s ongoing nationwide initiative to open stores in at least 15 underserved, low- to medium- income communities across the U.S by 2018.

Each location, including the store in #miamigardens, aims to support ongoing revitalization efforts in the community by creating new #jobs, engaging local women and minority-owned vendors and suppliers, and collaborating with local nonprofits to support training opportunities for youth in the community.

“We believe #starbucks can play a meaningful role in creating local #jobs, while supporting this community’s ongoing efforts to drive economic revitalization and social change,” said Rodney Hines, director for U.S. social impact. “By investing in #miamigardens and opening this beautiful new store, we want to demonstrate that businesses can join with civic and community leaders to help create opportunities for all.  We are grateful for the community’s support and look forward to welcoming everyone when we open on Monday morning.”

Seven similar stores are already open across the country in the Jamaica neighborhood in Queens, N.Y.; Ferguson, Mo; central Phoenix; Englewood in the southside of Chicago; East Baltimore; Long Beach, Calif., and White Center in south Seattle. The store in #miamigardens is the first such Starbucks® store to open in the southeast U.S. The company will open two more stores, in Birmingham, Ala., and Trenton, N.J. in the coming months.

Each of these stores, including the location opening in #miamigardens, has a dedicated in-store training space where young #people can receive customer service and retail skills training, based on the same world-class training #starbucks partners (employees) receive.

Starbucks is working with #southfloridacares Mentoring Movement to provide the multi-week training program to at least 100 local youth each year, leveraging existing programs aimed at helping connect young #people with internships, apprenticeships and #jobs in these communities and foster the type of dialogue and engagement needed for continued social change. These trainings will also help #starbucks continue to make progress on its commitment to connect Opportunity Youth, the estimated 4.9 million young #people ages 16 to 24 who are not in #school nor employed, to meaningful #jobs, education and a pathway to lifelong success.

“South Florida CARES and the National CARES Mentoring Movement are inspired by #starbucks dedication to giving back to its community,” said Tracey Robertson Carter, Executive Director of #southfloridacares. “Our four-year partnership with #starbucks has been a joyful marriage of our shared missions, and has created tremendous opportunities for the young #people we serve every day. We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of the new #miamigardens store, and deepen this important work alongside #starbucks partners and the community.”

The store is also partnering with Miami-based #bunniecakes to sell locally made gluten-free vegan passionfruit cupcakes in the store. Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, owner #marianacortez started #bunniecakes after two of her children were born with celiac disease and she was not able to find treats for their birthdays. From there, #bunniecakes was born and has been locally recognized as making one of the best cupcakes in Miami. It has also been nationally named as a winner on the #foodnetworkscupcakewars. Most recently, Cortez and her husband, Sebastian, opened a studio adjacent to their bakery as a place for the community to have birthday parties and cake decorating events.

Located at 19401 N.W. 27th Ave. in #miamigardens, the new store has hired 28 partners, many from #miamigardens and neighboring communities. With industry-leading retention, hiring locally is an important part of #starbucks strategy to support economic development and build stronger connections with the community. Both full-time and part-time partners at the #miamigardens store will able to take advantages of the company’s benefits, including full health care coverage and equity in the form of stock; the #starbucks College Achievement Plan, which gives partners the opportunity to get a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University with full tuition reimbursement; and more.

More information on the press release