Starbucks holds training for the Bistro 3846 staff

Starbucks Philippines organized a Customer Service Workshop for the staff of Bistro 3846, Mano Amiga's social enterprise that provides healthy lunch meals to school children. The workshop focused on honing the customer service and leadership skills of the Bistro team to help them effectively handle operational challenges and create meaningful customer experiences.

The Customer Service class is the first installment of the series of workshops under the Starbucks Shared Expertise program. Aside from Bistro 3846, three other social enterprises were chosen as participants, namely: Rags2Riches, Messy Bessy, and Homeless World Cup.

Seasoned mentors from the Starbucks Learning and Development team as well as selected Senior Baristas spearheaded the whole day workshop.

Starbucks CSR manager Zarah Perez said that the goal of the program is to equip social enterprises with costumer communication tools that will develop into valuable skills they can use in their day to day operations.

The activity ended with an interactive tour of Starbucks Jupiter where the Bistro 3846 staff had the opportunity to interview Baristas about the store's daily processes and to learn helpful insights on good client service.

For more information about Bistro 3846 visit: www.bistro3846.com

Bistro 3846: A Mano Amiga Social Enterprise

Mano Amiga Academy recently announced the official opening of Bistro 3846, a food and catering business that will help sustain the operating cost of Mano Amiga Academy.

The focus of Bistro 3846 is to provide school children with age-appropriate and nutritious lunch meals. The comprehensive nutrition program will help inculcate healthy eating habits that would provide nourishment, facilitate proper development, and promote environmental awareness and concern.

100% of the profits earned by Bistro 3846 would be donated to the Mano Amiga Academy scholarship fund.

Everest Academy has graciously agreed to host the initial site of Bistro 3846 and will be the school's cafeteria concessionaire for School year August 2010- May 2011. General Manager and Head Chef Amelia de los Reyes Alba, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu London, developed a menu featuring children's favorite meals that are prepared in a healthy way. The bistro also established a school herb garden that will help augment the cafeteria's herb requirements and help educate the Everest school children about the different herbs, their taste and nutrition content.

To learn more about the project, please visit: www.bistro3846.com

Mano Amiga's partners had a chance to sample Chef Amelia's specialties during the Bistro 3846- sponsored reception of the recently held Mano Amiga thanksgiving mass.

The Bistro 3846 team (from L-R): Chelsea Otero-Lopez, Anna Aquino-Dee, Mano Amiga Development Director Lynn Pinugu and Chef Amelia de los Reyes Alba