Starbucks Donates $340,000 To Local Literacy Organizations for McGwire's Homeruns

SEATTLE--(BW SportsWire)--Oct. 4, 1999--Mark McGwire's 1999 baseball season is one for the history books in many ways: 65 homeruns, giving him the 1999 homerun title; 147 runs batted in (first in the National League); and $340,000 raised for literacy organizations throughout the country through a partnership with Starbucks Coffee Company.

``We joined forces -- the force of The Starbucks Foundation helping literacy centers around America, and the force of my bat,'' explains McGwire, the single-season homerun record holder.

``Mark had an incredible season,'' says Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman and ceo. ``I'm very proud that together, we were able to provide assistance to nineteen literacy programs across North America. Mark is not only a fantastic baseball player, but a true humanitarian.''

Through the ``Read. Dream. Grow. Out of the Park -- Into the Books'' program, Starbucks, through The Starbucks Foundation, matched each one of McGwire's 65 homeruns with a $5,000 donation to support children's charities in the host city where the game was played. McGwire's 65 homeruns totaled $325,000 in donations. In addition, Starbucks made a $5,000 donation in each city where McGwire played but did not homer -- Boston, Detroit and Philadelphia. The partnership generated a total donation of $340,000.

In St. Louis, McGwire's 37 homefield homers raised $185,000 for three literacy organizations: Beginning Babies with Books -- YMCA (BBB), Redevelopment Opportunities for Women, Inc. (ROW) and Literacy Investment for Tomorrow (LIFT-Missouri).

``Because of Mark and Starbucks, the Beginning Babies with Books program reached 4,000 more children this year over last year,'' said Tom Frillman, Director of Literacy Programs for YMCA St. Louis.

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.

Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world. In addition to its retail locations in North America, the United Kingdom and the Pacific Rim, Starbucks sells whole bean coffees through its specialty sales group, direct response business, supermarkets and online at www.starbucks.com. Additionally, Starbucks produces and sells bottled FrappuccinoŽ coffee drink and a line of premium ice creams through joint venture partnerships and offers a variety of hot teas, brewed iced teas and bottled iced teas produced by its wholly owned subsidiary, Tazo Tea Company.