In celebration of its 25th year in the market, Starbucks Philippines marked the opening of the Abad Santos Tondo Community Store, a first-of-its-kind establishment in the country, last month in the City of Manila.

Dedicated to uplifting communities, the store focuses on supporting youth education. A portion of every purchase directly contributes to scholarships and after-school learning programs through its partners, Young Focus and AHA Learning Center.

Upon entering the new store, a welcoming plaque greets patrons, bearing the message: "This store is dedicated to supporting youth education. Join us in shaping a promising tomorrow, one empowered mind at a time." This serves as a reminder of the community store's mission and its significance to the Tondo area and its residents.

"Through this first community store in the country, we hope that this is the start of creating a positive and lasting impact on the youth within our local communities,” Noey Lopez, president of Starbucks Philippines, shares. “We aim to extend this effort beyond Tondo and throughout the Philippines, one step at a time, making a difference wherever we can."

Tondo is an area where Starbucks believes it can make a meaningful impact, but it acknowledges the need for collaboration with communities and local non-profit organizations that share similar goals of promoting social causes and positive change. With the help of these partners, the coffee company was able to create a community store dedicated to empowering youth through education.

"Starbucks, with this community center, not only serves coffee but also serves the youth of Tondo through education. What we do in Young Focus is we sponsor students from Grade 1 up to college, currently supporting about 1,000 students in the Smoky Mountain area of Tondo,” tells Karen de Chavez, assistant director of Young Focus Philippines.

For AHA Learning Center, it is committed to offering free after-school educational programs to public school students, emphasizing academics and social-emotional development. They currently operate from a community center on Radial Road 10, serving over 180 students across various age groups. Starbucks aims to expand this program, providing more opportunities for students to access the organization's resources.

"We are honored to be chosen as one of Starbucks' partners because investing in education is a long-term commitment. We want to thank Starbucks Philippines for advocating education in our community, especially in an area where education is not a priority," Karen adds.

The community store also features a beautiful mural titled "Brewing Knowledge, Blossoming Communities" by visual artist Anina Rubio, intertwining images of books, flora, fauna, and wildlife. Anina, an environmental advocate, explains, "For me, when I think of the word community, nature's ecosystems come to mind as perfect examples of what a thriving community should be, with symbiosis and a place where everything grows."

Starbucks Coffee serves as a catalyst for community growth through education, emphasizing sustainability and valuing people, the planet, and purpose. As Noey states, "As a company, Starbucks is always at the forefront of things. It's about substance and meaningful work to help uplift communities."

Starbucks Abad Santos Tondo Community Store is located at J. Abad Santos Avenue, Tondo, Manila, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Starbucks Philippines