The Sheldon Concert Hall Starbucks & MFLA Partnership for Instrument Donation Drive, 9/10-10/15

St. Louis-area Starbucks stores will once again help to "Keep the Music Playing" for disadvantaged students throughout the region with the annual Music for Lifelong Achievement (MFLA) Instrument Drive, September 10 - October 15, 2010. Throughout the drive, all St. Louis-area Starbucks stores will serve as drop-off locations for used and new musical instruments. The donated instruments will then be repaired and distributed to local schools and community music programs serving aspiring music students who otherwise would not be able to afford an instrument. Over the past six years, MFLA/Starbucks instrument drives have collected over 500 instruments which have been recycled to St. Louis City and County school districts and a variety of community music programs.

You can help in two ways. If you have a used musical instrument, you can donate it at any local Starbucks location, including St. Charles, O'Fallon and the Metro East. In addition to a tax-deduction for the value of the instrument donated, you will also receive a coupon for a free Starbucks beverage! If you don't have an instrument to donate, your cash donation will help pay for necessary repairs of donated instruments, as well as accessories such as strings, reeds and sheet music. Call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900 or visit www.supportmfla.org for more information or to make a donation. MFLA will provide a thank you letter that will serve as a tax deduction receipt for the value of the instruments or the funds donated.

Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 6,500 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino® coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot^TM coffee drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships. The Company's other brands enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products: Tazo Tea Company offers a line of innovative premium teas, and Hear Music produces and distributes a line of exceptional compact discs.

Music for Lifelong Achievement is a non-profit organization based at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, MO that seeks donations of used and new musical instruments, then donates the instruments to school and community music programs serving disadvantaged young people. Music for Lifelong Achievement also raises funds for instrument repair and musical accessories.