Some West Virginia college kids who “couldn’t afford a cup of coffee” shelled out five dollars to help a motherly Starbucks barista buy a new car.
The Starbucks on the Marshall University Campus was always like a small family with Karen Collinsworth, 65, at the head of the table.
But Karen's 2004 Kia was burglarized and her teammates decided that they might be able to fundraise some money for repairs since so many people around campus knew the 65-year-old barista and valued her.
After the co-workers all shared it on Instagram, Facebook, and another social media platform called YikYak, their most dreamed-of outcome came true. As of September 15th, the fundraiser had amassed $40,000, headlined by a $5,000 donation from the president of the University.
Karen is looking at new Subarus, all the while feeling the love and goodwill that decades of serving coffee with a smile has accumulated.