Starbucks and Chinese Red Cross Foundation jointly donate 'care packages' to families in Shanghai

The Beijing Starbucks Foundation has joined the Chinese Red Cross Foundation to donate "care packages" of daily food necessities to 17,000 families seriously affected by the COVID pandemic in Shanghai.

The Starbucks Foundation has donated 5 million yuan ($757,000) to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation for those in need in Shanghai.

On April 21, the first batch of aid packages, totaling 82.25 metric tons, were delivered to nearly 5,000 families, mostly cancer patients, patients with mental issues and other vulnerable groups living in Fengxian, Chongming, Songjiang and Jinshan districts.

A 72-year-old woman surnamed Sun, who suffers from uremia, was one of first to receive the aid packages in Fengxian district.

"There were rice noodles, grain and oil, cooking supplies, vegetables and other items in the box," said Sun's daughter, who currently lives with her.

To better reach the communities, the two sides have taken quick actions in sourcing, logistics and delivery. For example, to get through the logistics between Shanghai and Wuhan, Hubei province in Central China where the materials were sourced from, five long-distance truck drivers stepped up to transfer the aid packages within 15 hours, to make sure the deliveries arrived early morning on April 20.

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn