Community Service, Shanghai

How We'll Make a Difference Together
Come 25 April, 750 Starbucks partners (employees) from all over China will gather at Gumei community in Shanghai’s Minhang District to give it a brand new makeover.

The neighborhood is a relatively new community that is home to a diverse mix of residents, from migrant workers to white collar employees, young to old. Over 1,000 of the close to 6,500 residents hail from migrant worker families, while many other residents had relocated to the neighborhood when their previous homes were marked for urban redevelopment.

Volunteers will help to build a 'green' neighborhood for the community. They will work on gardening and painting projects, focusing particularly on sprucing up the main public parterre. A rubbish management system will be set up to enable better trash management. Activities will be organized to educate residents on leading environmentally friendly lifestyles, and volunteers will also enter residents' homes to help install simple energy and water saving devices. In addition, volunteers will clean up public spaces to add the finishing touches to a new clean, green and environmentally-friend neighborhood.

This initiative will be delivered in conjunction with local NGO Charyou, with support from the Sub-district Office of Gumei Community of Minhang District, Shanghai.


About Charyou
Founded in 2007, Charyou is an NGO registered in Shanghai that aims to develop creative volunteer programs for NGOs and companies. During 2010 Shanghai EXPO, Charyou helped over 5,000 white-collar volunteers to chaperon 4,500 disadvantaged children to visit the EXPO Park. It also created the "Low-C Park" initiative which traveled to 13 cities across China.

Charyou is the only grass-root NGO authorized as one of the EXPO volunteer work stations and has won a prize for its significant contribution to the EXPO volunteer program. It has also received recognition in Shanghai and nationwide for its contribution to public service.