The Christmas décor at the New Hope Starbucks has a genuine touch, thanks to the efforts of store manager Lindsay Dunne to meet a special request. The result of that effort exceeded her expectations, filling the bay windows of the café with boxes of toys ready to be wrapped.
Rich Schaible Jr., manager of the Langhorne Starbucks, told Dunne he was collecting gifts for foster kids. Schaible, who has worked with Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services, asked Dunne if she could help him with some of the children.
“Send me a list,” said Lindsay. He did. Tabulating 15 kids in eight families, Lindsay typed up the list and advertised it.
“People stared bringing stuff,” said Dunne, who then “filled in the gaps” for some of the requested toys they did not have.
Dunne was particularly proud of the fact that among the several gifts collected for the kids, each of those children will receive a specific toy that is precisely what was asked for.
Dunne has been with Starbucks for 17 years, the last four at the New Hope branch. Despite the work she did to meet and exceed the request of a friend, she prefers to give credit to her patrons.
“This is because of the community here,” Dunne said emphatically. While other employees – whom she refers to as partners – have contributed, she asserted that the bulk of the effort was met by her customers.
“I knew there would be a good response,” Dunne said, but added, “I didn’t think there would be this good a response.”
“We’re lucky here. We have a great community. We have good customers. I never doubted they would help.”
