Starbucks is saluting today’s biggest heroes.
The company announced on Wednesday that it will offer a free tall brewed coffee, hot or iced, to U.S. front-line responders to the coronavirus pandemic through May 3.
The offer is for doctors, nurses, hospital, medical staff, medical researchers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics, Starbucks said, according to USA Today.
In addition, the Starbucks Foundation will donate $500,000 to support them, with equal donations to Direct Relief to support the delivery of personal protective equipment and essential medical items and to Operation Gratitude to deliver 50,000 care packages and handwritten letters to first responders and health care workers.
The news comes days after Starbucks announced that its company-operated stores in the United States and Canada will move to a drive-thru-only model for at least two weeks, with some exceptions to be made for cafes serving in or around hospitals and healthcare centers as part of efforts to serve first responders and healthcare workers.
Airbnb is also doing its part to help those working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
For weeks, scores of ER and ICU doctors and nurses and other medical staff, many who lack sufficient personal protective equipment at work, have chosen to temporarily reside away from their homes in a bid to avoid infecting their families with the virus, as many of them, like non-healthcare workers, are being denied COVID-19 tests. Airbnb announced on Thursday a new global initiative to provide free or subsidized housing for 100,000 healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders around the world, typically closer to where they are working.
For the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and for tips on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, please visit The Center for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov.