I honestly don't know much about Starbucks, though I've heard they strive (or at least advertise to) to give fair prices to coffee growers around the world. Once again, this has nothing to do with that. Though their new campaign has sparked my thoughts today.
Join us as we count down to the launch of (STARBUCKS) RED. Starting November 27, every time you buy a special (STARBUCKS) RED product, a contribution will be made to the Global Fund, to help save lives in Africa. It’s all part of our commitment to give back to the communities where we do business, which is a key component of Starbucks™ Shared Planet™.
The above paragraph is from the Starbucks website. Sounds like a good deal. I'm glad their being generous with a part of their profits. Why again does this make me upset?
I first heard about this little event when it popped up as a Facebook event. 65,000 were attending so far according to the event page. I did a little math. Starbucks is giving 5 cents per hand made drink to the Global Fund. Multiply that by the 65,000 or so Facebookers attending and you get around $3250. Wow, what a noble thing! We gave all that money to help sick, starving, uneducated people in Africa!
What if those 65,000 people gave up their coffee for a day and gave that money directly to the Global Fund themselves (For Canadians: only go to Tim Horton's two times a day instead of six)? Assuming that the American people are very thrifty right now because of the downturn I'll give the benefit of the doubt and say $3 a drink.
I first heard about this little event when it popped up as a Facebook event. 65,000 were attending so far according to the event page. I did a little math. Starbucks is giving 5 cents per hand made drink to the Global Fund. Multiply that by the 65,000 or so Facebookers attending and you get around $3250. Wow, what a noble thing! We gave all that money to help sick, starving, uneducated people in Africa!
What if those 65,000 people gave up their coffee for a day and gave that money directly to the Global Fund themselves (For Canadians: only go to Tim Horton's two times a day instead of six)? Assuming that the American people are very thrifty right now because of the downturn I'll give the benefit of the doubt and say $3 a drink.
65,000
x $3
--------------
$195,000
x $3
--------------
$195,000
Let's do some more math. Let's say 65,000 people who regularly attend Starbucks gave up their custom drink twice a month and sent the money to Global Fund.
(The daily total for 65,000 people skipping out on a $3 drink) $195,000
(The number of days a month they gave up drinks) x 2
--------------
$390,000
Let's get the yearly average now
$390,000
x 12
--------------
$4,680,000
(The number of days a month they gave up drinks) x 2
--------------
$390,000
Let's get the yearly average now
$390,000
x 12
--------------
$4,680,000
In Summary. If 65,000 people gave up their drink twice a month from Starbucks or otherwise, and repeated the process for a year they would collectively give $4,680,000.
Let's say that money heads out to Sierra Leone, one of the poorer countries in Africa. Just to put it into perspective the average yearly wage there is $140 per person, so our funds from giving up two drinks per month is roughly the equivalent of the yearly wages of 33,500 people. There's a lot of need and a lot of good that money could do.
The point of this is not at all to bash Starbucks, and it's not to do fundraising for Global Fund. This is about the body of Christ in North America that has so much wealth. Our heavenly Father said "Never cease to be generous, for the poor will always be among you." My prayer of the church, for myself, is that we would go beyond just sacrificing a couple drinks a month, which in the end is just as cute and 'sacrificial' as buying a drink that donates 5 cents. Let us give out of our need
"God loves a cheerful giver" has become trite, a little song we learned in Sunday school. Father give us a vision of your generous heart. Cure me of my gluttony, teach me to use my resources frugally on myself; but lavishly on those who have need. Give me the heart of Jesus who gave it all, who had "no place to rest his head."
Let's say that money heads out to Sierra Leone, one of the poorer countries in Africa. Just to put it into perspective the average yearly wage there is $140 per person, so our funds from giving up two drinks per month is roughly the equivalent of the yearly wages of 33,500 people. There's a lot of need and a lot of good that money could do.
The point of this is not at all to bash Starbucks, and it's not to do fundraising for Global Fund. This is about the body of Christ in North America that has so much wealth. Our heavenly Father said "Never cease to be generous, for the poor will always be among you." My prayer of the church, for myself, is that we would go beyond just sacrificing a couple drinks a month, which in the end is just as cute and 'sacrificial' as buying a drink that donates 5 cents. Let us give out of our need
"God loves a cheerful giver" has become trite, a little song we learned in Sunday school. Father give us a vision of your generous heart. Cure me of my gluttony, teach me to use my resources frugally on myself; but lavishly on those who have need. Give me the heart of Jesus who gave it all, who had "no place to rest his head."
