Some Charity With Your Morning Coffee

Almost every weekday, I start my workday off with a cup of coffee just like millions of Americans. In fact, there is a Dunkin' Donuts right next to my office building — actually sharing the same building — that I frequent.

When I stopped in on Monday, I noticed someone handing a Dunkin' Donuts branded travel cup to the young woman behind the counter for a refill. Then I noticed right next to the customer was a display of the cups with a description. As it turns out, Dunkin' Donuts is selling these travel cups, with coffee in them, for $3.99, with $1 from each sale donated and distributed among four regional food banks. As an added incentive, the cup gets customers 99-cent refills until Dec. 31. Talk about a great incentive for a great cause!

Naturally, I purchased a cup, and here in Philadelphia, my indirect donation is headed to either Philabundance, the Food Bank of South Jersey, Food Bank of Delaware or Second Harvest of Lehigh Valley & Northeast Pennsylvania.

I found this to be a tremendous example of corporate philanthropy and a good tie-in to the mission of these food banks. After all, Dunkin' Donuts is in the business of feeding customers, and now those customers can help feed those less fortunate as they purchase their morning coffee and order breakfast.