Five JA Members in the Asia Pacific region Awarded Global Community Impact Grants from The Starbucks Foundation
- jaap123456
- Oct 23
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 24
JA Asia Pacific proudly congratulates five Junior Achievement Members, namely, JA Hong Kong, JA Japan, JA Korea, JA Thailand, and Prestasi Junior Indonesia, for being selected as recipients of The Starbucks Foundation’s Global Community Impact Grants for 2025.
These grant awards are thanks to nominations from Starbucks teams in Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. Through this unique program, The Starbucks Foundation invites international partners (employees) to nominate local nonprofit organizations in their community. This round of grant recipients was selected from more than 100 nominated local nonprofit organizations across 50 markets around the world.
This recognition places the regional Junior Achievement (JA) network among a distinguished group of nonprofit organizations driving meaningful change in local
communities. Through this program, The Starbucks Foundation is enabling local organizations to implement high-impact initiatives that advance youth empowerment, workforce development, and economic opportunity, among other causes.
“Having five JA Members across Asia Pacific selected for 2025 Global Community Impact Grants from The Starbucks Foundation is both an honor and a powerful validation of the local impact and leadership of our Members,” said Adnan Bokhari, Interim President and CEO of JA Asia Pacific. “This recognition reflects the strength of local partnerships powered by a global vision. Together with The Starbucks Foundation and Starbucks partners, we’re equipping young people with the skills and confidence to shape thriving, resilient communities and discover pathways to meaningful work and entrepreneurship.”
Meaningful Impact Through Global Grants
The Starbucks Foundation's Global Community Impact Grants program supports nonprofit organizations driving programs that create meaningful local or regional impact, expanding on the company's ambition to contribute positively to communities. This program builds on other initiatives of The Starbucks Foundation, including Neighborhood Grants, Origin Grants, and Disaster Response Grants - which focus on enabling community resiliency and prosperity and uplifting communities affected by disaster. Since the program launch in 2022, The Starbucks Foundation and licensee partners have awarded more than $14 million in Global Community Impact Grants to more than 200 nonprofit organizations across more than 60 markets.
"Since the beginning, Starbucks has set out to be a different kind of company - one that prioritizes our partners (employees), customers, and the communities we serve in locally relevant ways," said Brady Brewer, CEO, International at Starbucks and board member of The Starbucks Foundation. "Through Global Community Impact Grants, we ask our partners to elevate the causes they care about in their communities, and we follow their lead, making donations to the local organizations they care about most."
Beyond the grants, Starbucks partners plan to engage directly with JA participants, such as volunteering as mentors or hosting students in local coffeehouses for conversations about careers.
Celebrating Five JA Members Across Asia Pacific
The Starbucks Foundation’s Global Community Impact Grants program reflects a deep commitment to strengthening communities where Starbucks operates. This year’s grants are funding local projects that expand economic opportunity, promote inclusion, and build stronger, more resilient futures.
The grants will enable JA Members deliver innovative programming in collaboration with their respective Starbucks country partners. These programs are designed to equip young people with the skills, confidence, and experiences they need to succeed in the future of work.
• JA Hong Kong will create opportunities for students to appreciate the many possibilities and pathways available in the food and beverage industry and fast-changing world of work, and develop their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and aspirations as to find a future they love and build thriving communities through the JA Youth Empowerment Program in partnership with Starbucks Hong Kong.
• JA Japan will provide hands-on career readiness experiences, connecting students with Starbucks partners (employees) who will serve as mentors and role models in the "Catch Your Dream" program.
• JA Korea will run a career exploration and employment capacity enhancement program, including the “Opportunity Fair,” “Byuldabang (Starbucks) Class,” and “Build Success Skills” initiatives with the aim of helping young people develop practical workplace skills and confidence to pursue their aspirations. JA Korea has worked closely with Starbucks Korea since 2015 and is the partner organization for Starbucks Korea’s eight Community Store, where a portion of proceeds is donated to create pathways to opportunities for young people in the local community.
• JA Thailand will continue empowering youths through practical innovation and entrepreneurial skills using the Human-Centered Design Process, supported by Starbucks volunteers.
• Prestasi Junior Indonesia continues the Creative Youth Entrepreneurship Program in collaboration with Starbucks Indonesia, creating opportunities for high school students to acquire the practical entrepreneurial knowledge and skills needed to move a business idea from concept to reality. The program will engage students in Bali, Bandung, Bogor, Jakarta, Jayapura, Semarang, Surabaya, Tangerang Selatan, Yogyakarta.
Together, these programs exemplify the shared vision of Starbucks and Junior Achievement, which is to inspire young people to dream boldly, act purposefully, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
The Value of a Global Funder
Support from The Starbucks Foundation – which has collaborated on JA programs across more than 15 countries and territories around the world – demonstrates how strategic funding partnerships can amplify nonprofit impact. The Foundation’s investment goes beyond financial assistance; it connects local organizations to a global network of expertise, mentorship, and brand advocacy, as well as connects local Starbucks volunteers to JA participants for meaningful engagement.
For JA Members, this partnership provides both the resources and the credibility to expand program reach, strengthen organizational capacity, and deepen engagement with youth. It also allows JA to align its educational outcomes with the broader goals of sustainable development, creating economic opportunities while fostering community resilience.
Why Grants Matter for Nonprofit Organizations
Grants like The Starbucks Foundation’s Global Community Impact Grant are essential to sustaining and scaling nonprofit work. They enable organizations to:
• Launch or expand programs that meet community needs.
• Invest in training, technology, and staff capacity.
• Build resilience against fluctuating funding sources.
• Strengthen long-term impact measurement and reporting.
For a network like JA Asia Pacific, which currently operates in 16 countries and territories, such global partnerships ensure that thousands of students can continue accessing transformative, hands-on education, preparing them not just for jobs, but for lifelong success as innovators and changemakers.
This grant directly supports JA’s strategic priority to “Empower Youth Everywhere” through youth education on the core economic skills required to build thriving communities, and expand to serve youth across more communities and nations.
A Collective Achievement
Being among the global recipients of The Starbucks Foundation’s grant program is both an honor and a reflection of the JA Member’s leadership within the Asia Pacific region and the JA Worldwide network. It is also a celebration of the collaboration between corporate partners, educators, and community stakeholders who share a commitment to youth empowerment.
As the Regional Operating Centre, JA Asia Pacific commends our Members for their outstanding work, vision, and dedication. We also extend our deepest gratitude to The Starbucks Foundation and Starbucks international partners across the region for their unwavering belief in young people’s potential to shape a better world.
Together, we are building the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and citizens who will make both local and global communities more sustainable, inclusive, and connected.