Starbucks partners (employees) and customers and their family and friends shared their artistic and gardening skills to spruce up Doctors Care, a nonprofit organization providing medical care to the uninsured in Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties.
Eighteen volunteers donated more than 150 hours to Doctors Care. The project included planting spring flowers, painting an exam room and bathroom, and touching up paint on murals from previous volunteer projects. The flowery murals are painted in shades of coffee - mocha and latte - with green accents.
"The positive energy from this project creates an atmosphere of respect and dignity for our clients," said Bebe Kleinman, executive director of Doctors Care. "In the next year, more than 3,000 uninsured children and young adults will enjoy the artistry of these volunteers when they come for well- and sick-care visits."
The volunteers came from five Starbucks stores which are part of the same district: First & Wadsworth, Jewell & Wadsworth, Bowles & Wadsworth, Alameda & Union and Speer & Federal.
"The purpose of this project was to get involved in our community by sharing our time and talents," said Starbucks partner Shannon Cardellina. "We came away with a huge appreciation for the health care benefits we receive at Starbucks and we were impressed by the services Doctors Care offers to our neighbors who are not so fortunate."
The Starbucks volunteer program is called "Make Your Mark" and is designed to support the efforts of employees to build and maintain relationships within the community through outreach projects.
Doctors Care is a nonprofit, short-term program designed to provide affordable medical care to the uninsured and underinsured in Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties. In 2005, physicians, hospitals, labs and pharmacies donated more than $3.5 million of services to Doctors Care patients. One thousand patients over the age of 30 received care through a network of 500 volunteer doctors. Another 2,500 children and young adults visited the Doctors Care Clinic in Littleton.