Before today's game, Starbucks will present an ``advance'' donation of $5,000 each to the three St. Louis beneficiaries that were selected by Starbucks and McGwire. Representatives from Beginning Babies with Books -- YMCA (BBB), Redevelopment Opportunities for Women, Inc. (ROW) and Literacy Investment for Tomorrow (LIFT-Missouri), will be recognized at home plate and presented with a check from McGwire and Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman and ceo.

``Starbucks is excited to partner with Mark McGwire, a truly inspirational hero,'' said Schultz. ``Together we make a great team in our commitment to encourage children to read and make a difference in their lives.''

Through the ``Read. Dream. Grow. Out of the Park -- Into the Books'' partnership, Starbucks will match each one of McGwire's home runs with a $5,000 donation to a children's charity in the host city where the game is played. Additionally, the Company guaranteed that donations will total a minimum of $250,000 for the season.

BBB is an early intervention literacy program for children 0 - 5 years of age. ROW, Inc. is dedicated to creating opportunities for women and families to pursue personal and family development. LIFT -- Missouri is a private, not-for-profit organization which serves as Missouri's State Literacy Resource Center and provides professional development training, technical assistance and materials and resources to adult educators, early childhood educators and family literacy program staff throughout Missouri.

Started in 1997 by Schultz, The Starbucks Foundation is a non-profit corporate foundation created to support charitable causes in communities where Starbucks conducts business. Domestically, The Foundation focuses on literacy because Starbucks believes in the power of reading -- to change lives, to combat poverty and despair and to involve parents in creating a better future for their children.