Dear Starbucks,
Last night, I was working a closing shift when a thin man, appearing to be not much older than myself, walked into our store. He came in with a blanket draped across his shoulders, his clothes at least a few days worn. As he approached the counter, one of the other partners greeted him, the way we normally do, with a cheerful, “Hello” and a warm smile. He stopped a moment, appearing to look at the menu, and then chose to sit in a corner of the store. He saw me notice, it was merely a glance between us, and he chose to leave. He left before either my work partner, or I, could offer him a cup of coffee, on the house, as we were winding down and knew his coffee would otherwise be poured out, as evening waste.
This is a problem.
As someone who studies psychology and intercultural communication, I can tell you that this behavior is the result of social stigma. This person clearly came in, looking for something, which he chose to forego in an effort to avoid a number of possible negative responses, none of which he would have received. It is my understanding that Starbucks supports volunteer efforts to aid the homeless, but what about our stores. If we are going to support homeless people, it should be understood, by those who find themselves in such situations, that we, Starbucks, are supportive of helping homeless people. We need to make an effort to demonstrate to the individuals that come into our store, or even those who stand outside, looking in, that we are supportive.
I propose creating a system, or writing a policy, that will allow us to serve homeless people who come into our stores with, at minimum, a single cup of coffee, in a house mug, and a cold sandwich, that is pulled from the sales, due to the sale date on the packaging, at the end of the day. As a company that supports the homeless, we need to make it known that we care about the well-being of people in such situations.
Every day, homeless human beings wander the streets looking for work, looking for food, looking for something as simple as a human connection. Every day, they are denied employment, denied food, denied something as simple as a human connection. They are subjected to the cruelest forms of human indecency, being told they are unworthy as human beings, because they are not contributing to society. They are socially criminalized, as people who take from society, without giving back. They are labeled drug addicts, and alcoholics, whether they are, or not. Homeless females are labeled as both drug addicted, and alcoholic, and also as illegal sex workers. They get this extra label, simply for being female.
They are treated as nuisances, by all classes of society; often because they smell, whether they actually produce an offensive odor, or not; yet no one will afford them a place to shower. Some of these people are also not able to wash their clothes, because any money they are being given goes to food or other more essential expenses; that we are not in a position to prioritize for them. Every day, these are the attitudes that homeless people face, and we wonder why so many homeless are suffering from mental illness.
Let me point out that depression is a debilitating mental illness that is caused by many factors, such as biological chemical imbalances, which can also be caused by a lack of nutrition. Other factors include situational circumstances that create areas of worry, such as not having adequate shelter or clothing, or a general appearance that society rejects. Lastly, I want to talk about psychological factors. We are brought up to believe that we are worth more, that we have a place in society, that as human beings we deserve respect, but when we fall into unfortunate circumstances, and we are rejected by society and told the opposite of everything we know to be true, we begin to question ourselves. Next we look for validation, with our only evidence being the opinion of others. Once we believe that we are not worth more than what society has told us we are worth, we internalize this view, which becomes devastating to our mental health. This change in our self-concept, this loss of self-esteem, this loss of self, is the very thing that leads to hopelessness, and more devastatingly, suicide. When people are ending their lives, because they cannot mentally cope with the current state of their lives, it’s not because they are weak, it’s because they didn’t have adequate help to keep them grounded in the temporary nature of circumstance.
Something as simple as a cup of coffee and a sandwich, that wasn’t going to be sold in the first place not only counters these social stigmas, it also creates that human connection that homeless people desperately need, for their survival as human beings.
Sincerely,
A Starbucks Partner
P.S. I will serve homeless people in my store, with or without a policy allowance. It’s about humanity.
