Starbucks Is Thanking First Responders With Free Coffee All Month Long

Starbucks is giving thanks and giving back this holiday season to the people who deserve it most.

On Tuesday, the coffee chain announced it will be giving all first responders free coffee for the month of December to help them continue the fight against COVID-19.

In a statement, Starbucks explained it is offering a free tall brewed coffee (hot or iced) to front-line responders at participating U.S. Starbucks stores as its way to “show appreciation for those keeping our communities safe during COVID-19.”

“It has been an extraordinarily difficult year, especially for the front-line responders who are serving our communities,” Virginia Tenpenny, Starbucks vice president, Global Social Impact, shared in a statement. “We want to show our deep gratitude for those who support and protect us every day with a small gesture of kindness and a cup of coffee.”

To get a free coffee at participating shops in the morning, afternoon, or whenever they need it, customers only need to identify themselves as a front-line responder. Those eligible for a free cup include doctors, nurses, public health workers, pharmacists, dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, dentists and dental hygienists, mental health workers, hospital staff including janitors and security, and active-duty military.

But, giving away free cups of coffee isn’t the only thing Starbucks is doing to support those who are helping us all when we need it most. The company also shared it’s donated $100,000 to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to support virtual mental health resources for front-line responders. And, since the pandemic took hold in March, the company’s foundation has also donated more than $1 million to support front-line responders. That includes delivering personal protective equipment, essential medical items, care packages, and more. It’s also donated more than $9 million in response to COVID-19 at large, including more than $1,000,000 in Neighborhood Grants to more than 400 local organizations across the nation.

Stacey Leasca is a journalist, photographer, and media professor. Send tips and follow her on Instagram now.