Starbucks proves its commitment to communities and after introducing the ‘Create jobs for USA’ initiative, it presents a new community model in the neighborhoods of Harlem, New York and Crenshaw, Los Angeles. These organizations will share in the profits of a store in each community. Each organization will receive a minimum of $100,000 from Starbucks for the first year of the partnership.

Photo: Getty Images, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz

Starbucks is partnering with the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) in Harlem and the Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) in the Crenshaw neighborhood. Both organizations have a proven record in creating progress for disadvantaged communities. In collaboration with Starbucks they will create a new kind of private sector engagement.

The stores in Harlem and Crenshaw were redesigned to reflect the individual culture, character and needs of each of these neighborhoods, represent a new business model the core idea of which is common work for positive changes in these communities.

Starbucks will share its business expertise with residents, provide strategic technical and management assistance and work with the organizations to precisely plan Starbucks’ jobs training and placement work.

The Harlem Starbucks store will team up with the Abyssinian Development Corporation to serve the children and families of Harlem through affordable housing, economic development, social services, quality educational opportunities and civic engagement. The store in Harlem was opened in 1999 and is situated on the corner of 125th street and Lenox Avenue.

Starbucks store at Crenshaw and Coliseum in Los Angeles opened in 2006. Now it will help LAUL  to serve a defined 70-block area in the Crenshaw neighborhood. The model to be applied here is called Neighborhoods@Work and focuses on education, safety, housing, health and employment. So far, this model has resulted in a 51% increase in overall graduation rate at Crenshaw High School and a 34% decrease in violent crimes in Park Mesa Heights from the 2007 baseline, says the official press release.

Both stores will form a hub of Starbucks community service and provide additional training programs in the area.