Fort Hood, Texas, near Killeen, has become another community beneficiary of a Starbucks program to address and boost military spouse employment when this month the coffee corporation transitioned one of its franchises to a Military Family Store.
The community-centered program, which has awarded the designation to more than 50 military community stores since 2013, designates certain franchises as Military Family Stores when they are nominated by the community.
Fort Hood’s new Military Family Store has been a core store in the area for 11 years.
“Military Family Stores are located around the country, to serve as a community gathering spot and as a resource to assist transitioning military families,” Starbucks said according to a story published in the Killeen Daily Herald.
Military Family Stores also emphasize military spouse employment, Starbucks says, a population that government estimates range the unemployment rate between 16% and 24% nationwide.
Starbucks announced in 2013 its goal to hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses, and after reaching that target decided to hire 25,000 by 2025.
The new Military Family Store designation is the 57th in the nation and the sixth in Texas, with another in Killeen.