9.03.2003 ET

(CSRwire) SEATTLE, WA - Starbucks Coffee Company kicks off its second annual Make Your Mark program in September. This year, Starbucks has doubled its goal, aiming to generate 50,000 hours of partner (employee) and customer volunteer time and contribute $500,000 to nonprofit organizations across the United States and Canada. To meet these goals, Starbucks has organized more than 200 community projects occurring during the month of September. This year, customers can register for projects online at www.starbucks.com.

"Encouraging volunteerism among our partners and inviting our customers through the Make Your Mark program is one of the most important ways we can make a positive impact on the communities where our partners live and work," said Orin Smith, president and ceo of Starbucks Coffee Company.

Established in early 2000, Make Your Mark is a year-round program that supports and encourages Starbucks partners and their friends, family, and customers to volunteer in their communities. This program is distinctive because Starbucks grants cash donations to nonprofit organizations based upon partner and customer volunteer hours. For the second consecutive year, Starbucks will be inviting customers to join partners in volunteer activities throughout the United States and Canada during the month of September through in-store signage, advertising and Starbucks.com.

"Starbucks is thrilled to be doubling the volunteerism and grant goals for this year's Make Your Mark program in September," said Lauren Moore, director of Giving and Community Affairs at Starbucks. "The Make Your Mark program is unique in that it supports the volunteer hours of our customers - uniting Starbucks partners and customers with a common goal of building healthy communities."

To reach its September goal of 50,000 volunteer hours, Starbucks relied on its alliance with HP, which developed an innovative solution to help Starbucks track and manage the complexity of delivering hundreds of September Make Your Mark volunteer projects throughout the United States and Canada. Additionally, through Starbucks.com, HP is making it possible for anyone to easily search by postal code for local volunteer opportunities, register for local projects, and receive email confirmations and reminders.

"HP shares Starbucks commitment to global citizenship and volunteerism," said Debra Dunn, senior vice president, HP Corporate Affairs. "I'm excited that HP technology is making it easier than ever for people to find community volunteer projects and get involved in the Make Your Mark program."

Customers interested in participating in a Make Your Mark project during the month of September can stop by their neighborhood Starbucks location for information or visit www.starbucks.com to sign-up online.

Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 6,500 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 the 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(tm) 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.

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