12.13.2002 ET

(CSRwire) SEATTLE; America SCORES, a national non-profit, youth development organization that uses the sport of soccer to inspire teamwork among at-risk children in urban public schools, will further its programming to 12 cities across the United States through an expanded partnership with The Starbucks Foundation. The Starbucks Foundation has made a three-year $225,000 commitment to help bring new SCORES programs to urban communities. Target cities include Dallas; Atlanta; Kansas City; Philadelphia; Columbus; Ohio; Miami; Tampa, Fla.; Detroit and Phoenix.

Established in 1997, America SCORES encourages urban youth to join a team with their classmates and participate in soccer and creative writing activities after school. Students participate in writing and soccer activities on alternate afternoons, experiencing—usually for the first time—the opportunity to write poetry, stories, and drama and to play a great team sport: soccer. The philosophy is that by giving children in economically disadvantaged urban communities an engaging team to which they can belong, they will develop an allegiance to each other, their teachers, their schools, and to their education. Through its current eight affiliate programs across the country, America SCORES works with more than 2, 400 students who are both poets and athletes.

“Starbucks support and its partners’ (employees) commitment to volunteerism has been truly amazing,” said Paul Caccamo, America SCORES President. “Starbucks has provided us with so much more than a financial contribution; they are involved and want to make a difference in these kids’ lives. Their increased financial commitment will help to develop our programs on a national level.”

America SCORES was founded by a public school teacher who was also a part-time Starbucks barista in Washington D.C. The organization received its first Starbucks Foundation grant in 1997 and has since received more than $170,800 in grants from The Starbucks Foundation to support its affiliate sites across the country. In the past five years America SCORES has expanded to Boston, Denver, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

“America SCORES is a program that our Starbucks partners are excited about. They see first hand how kids involved in this program grow as team members, dedicated to their success both on the soccer field and in the classroom,” said Cathie Bachy, Starbucks Foundation program manager. “Starbucks partners have been involved in a wide range of activities from assisting SCORES students at “Poetry Slams” and other literary competitions as well as coaching on the soccer field. Working together has allowed us to make a positive contribution to both teachers and youth in urban areas.”

AMERICA SCORES serves children in the public schools in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC. The program is supported by the U.S. Soccer Foundation, adidas America, Newmark & Company and Starbucks. AMERICA SCORES plans to expand to six additional cities in the next three years. For more information, please visit www.americascores.org.

Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino® coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot™ coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company’s other brands enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products: Tazo Tea Company offers a line of innovative premium teas, and Hear Music produces and distributes a line of exceptional compact discs.

For more information please contact: