Non-Profits in Northern California Counties Awarded $375,000 in Grants from Starbucks Coffee Company; Fifth Year of Grants for Giving Program Funds 14 Groups Serving Youth and Families.

SAN FRANCISCO -- When six-year-old Isiah first dipped into a swimming pool as a Special Needs Aquatic Program (SNAP) swimmer in 2004, the slender boy diagnosed with autism could barely speak, and clung close to the pool's edge. Now, a year later, the youngster is known for his infectious smile and sings along with his classmates. Isiah's mom attributes the major successes to skills and attention he received from SNAP, an aquatic recreational program for special needs children that enables them to socialize, exercise, have fun and be empowered.

SNAP is just one of 14 non-profit organizations from Northern California that today received grants totaling $375,000 from Starbucks Coffee Company's Grants for Giving Program, which is a unique program only in Northern California. The program awards grants to exceptional non-profit organizations working to build better futures for youth and families.

This year, more than 1,100 grant applications were received from non-profit organizations serving Northern California. The grant amounts were selected based on need and ranged from $10,000 to $50,000 per finalist. The 2005 grantees are outstanding organizations from Northern California counties that truly work to positively impact the communities they serve.

Now in its fifth year, Starbucks Grants for Giving program has awarded more than $1.7 million in grants to non-profit organizations. "Starbucks takes pride in contributing to the achievements of such remarkable non-profit organizations," said Gina Marino, regional vice president for Starbucks Northern California. "Their efforts improve the lives of youth and families, and remind us all that together we can create an even stronger community."

Each of the grantee organizations provide services that address the needs of youth and families in Northern California, including art programs, after-school activities for at-risk youth, literacy and education programs, services for homeless families and victims of domestic violence, and enriching activities for disabled children.

Starbucks commits to ongoing support of its Grants for Giving recipients through the volunteer efforts of its more than 7,000 partners (employees) throughout Northern California. Each grant recipient builds a relationship with a Starbucks partner who serves as an ambassador for the organization -- driving enthusiasm, support, and volunteer hours for the grantee among local Starbucks partners.

The grant recipients announced today were profiled on KTVU FOX 2's "Mornings on 2" show. There are grantees from each of the following regions: North Bay, Peninsula/South Bay, East Bay, San Francisco, and Greater Northern California.

The 2005 grant recipients are:

--Little Kids Rock, based in San Francisco, inspires children to express themselves through music, building the creativity, confidence, and self-esteem that are critical to success in school and beyond. They will use the Starbucks grant to help expand the Little Kids Rock program by launching new chapters in schools from surrounding communities.

--Kid Serve Youth Murals links public art to public school curriculum in the school districts of San Francisco. Their projects integrate curriculum, social values, creativity and community service for young people while creating stunning permanent mural residencies in their communities.

--Okizu Foundation, from Novato, provides recreational, respite and peer support programs to meet the needs of all members of families affected by childhood cancer. Okizu will use the grant to help fund their variety of camps -- where children with cancer, and their families, get a retreat away from hospitals to enjoy a normal environment and are not treated differently because of cancer.

--Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, a Sonoma Valley-based program that provides academic and social support to help youth reach their highest potential by matching them one-on-one with caring adult role models from the local community. Through the Grants for Giving program, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance hopes to expand their services and positively support the youth of Sonoma Valley.

--Forget Me Not Farm, from Santa Rosa, provides children who have been exposed to violence first-hand with an opportunity to become part of a nurturing series of meaningful experiences through growing vegetables and flowers, and caring for animals who become trusted companions. The Forget Me Not Farm will use their grant to expand their facilities and help more abused and neglected children by exposing them to the benefits of interacting with nature.

--Shasta County Women's Refuge Inc. is on a mission to help to end domestic violence and sexual assault in Shasta County by providing victims with the resources needed for safety, healing and prevention of further victimization. Grants for Giving funding will help their Children Too! Program, which works with children to alleviate the emotional and physical effects of domestic violence by providing a safe place to play, eat, interact with parents and deal with conflict.

--The GreenHouse in Sacramento is an after-school program that provides a safe, caring, place that emphasizes academic achievement for young people in the downtown area. The GreenHouse will devote the Grants for Giving grant to their elementary after school program and increase the number of adult mentors who provide positive support to the young people served by the GreenHouse.

--College Track, based in San Mateo, exists to help students who have the desire, but lack the resources and support, to attain higher education and fulfill their own best promise. By providing after-school program, tutoring workshops, and extra-curricular activities, College Track prepares and motivates students to achieve higher education. Their grant funds will be used to enhance their Student Life Center, which exposes students to art, multimedia education and community service opportunities.

--New Horizons School, from Santa Cruz, is a kindergarten through fifth-grade school that helps homeless children escape the bonds of poverty and hopelessness by providing education, life skills, values and a caring environment that will empower them to successfully move into the mainstream of society. New Horizons School will devote the grant to expanding their services to help more local students.

--Golden Gate Audubon Society, based in Berkeley, leads groups to explore and conserve the local urban environment and San Francisco Bay watershed. The education program encourages participants to protect wildlife and provides a place where people can connect across generations, and invest in the natural resources of their East Oakland community.

--DeafHope, from Alameda, provides services to deaf women and children who are survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In addition to support, DeafHope provides training and technical assistance to establish more deaf-run domestic violence and sexual assault response services.

--Special Needs Aquatic Program (SNAP) is an aquatic recreational and motor development program located in Richmond that provides a place where children with special needs can socialize, exercise, have fun and be empowered. This grant allows SNAP to upgrade and expand their program, while also training other groups interested in providing similar water therapy services around the Bay Area.

--George Mark Children's House, located in San Leandro, the first residential end of life facility in the United States, offers round-the-clock support, transitional care, and full-time nursing for children with life limiting or terminal illnesses. They are committed to providing ongoing care regardless of the families' ability to pay for the services, so the Grants for Giving funds will be used to offer more families this caring and supportive environment.

--East Bay Agency for Children (EBAC) strives to improve health, offer hope, and provide opportunities to children and families throughout Alameda County. The EBAC programs prepare children to succeed in school, assist families through times of crisis, and provide therapeutic support to children who have suffered from abuse and/or neglect. EBAC will use their grant to help children living with HIV by providing social and educational programs that take away the social stigma associated with HIV.

To learn more about these exceptional organizations, visit www.starbucks.com/grantsforgiving.

About Starbucks Coffee Company

Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 9,300 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino(R) coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot(R) coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company's brand portfolio provides a wide variety of consumer products. Tazo's line of innovative premium teas and Hear Music's exceptional compact discs enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle's Best Coffee(R) and Torrefazione Italia(R) coffee brands enable Starbucks to appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of coffee flavor profiles.