Canlis Rewards Mountain View Starbucks District for Its Fundraising Success.

Western Washington Starbucks Store Partners Compete for a Good Cause; Mountain View District Wins a Party at Canlis Restaurant for Its Tremendous Effort and Success

SEATTLE -- Canlis restaurant announced today that the Mountain View (Puyallup) Starbucks district is the winner of its "Guatemala Challenge" fundraising effort. Canlis initiated a challenge to Western Washington Starbucks store partners (employees) to financially support the Guatemala Education Initiative--a program directly benefiting the Guatemala coffee-growing region.

The Starbucks Mountain View district in Puyallup raised $1,345 by hosting an in-store game of BINGO, a car wash, and "coffee party" in a local park where coffee and tree seeds were sold. The district involved the Starbucks partners (employees), the community and even received the support of a customer who donated their car wash facility for the event. Overall, 80 Starbucks locations comprised of more than 2,000 Starbucks partners participated in the competition.

Rewarding the entire Mountain View district for its efforts, Canlis is hosting an exclusive dinner and party in its Executive Room.

"We're delighted to see such creativity, tenacity and enthusiasm as the Mountain View Starbucks partners illustrated in helping to raise funds for the Guatemala coffee farming community," Mark Canlis, Canlis managing owner said. "It's the spirit of community and passion each staff member demonstrated that made their efforts such a success, and it goes to prove that the energy pays off in many ways; we look forward to treating them to a wonderful evening."

Canlis restaurant and Starbucks originally partnered in 2003 to co-create a coffee called Guatemala Casi Cielo[R]. The two companies collaborated again to challenge Western Washington Starbucks store partners to help raise funds for the Guatemala Education Initiative (GEI) with Save the Children, an NGO Starbucks program where employees have additional opportunities to make a difference. Planning is underway for members of the Canlis and Starbucks teams to visit coffee farms in Guatemala together in late 2007.

In 2005, Starbucks committed US $1.5 million to the Guatemala Education Initiative, a four-year program designed together with Save the Children to bring bilingual, bicultural education (in Mayan and Spanish) to students in Guatemala. Starbucks worked with Save the Children to positively impact these coffee-growing communities. In these areas, most people are Mayan and many do not speak Spanish, the language of Guatemala. Today they remain marginalized from mainstream Guatemalan society, suffering high rates of poverty and low levels of educational achievement.

After hearing from many Starbucks partners who wanted to support this project or participate in some way, Starbucks worked with Save the Children to determine a way for Starbucks partners to support the Company's commitment to improve the quality of local education. These additional contributions helped to provide backpacks and support local playgrounds, reading centers, and libraries.

Now entering its 57th year of service in Seattle, Canlis restaurant continues to set the standard for hospitality, dining and beauty, delivering the best guest dining experience in America. Learn more at http://www.canlis.com.