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From Cookies to Classrooms: Starbucks Raises Over RM100K to Revive Centre for the Deaf

What if your sweet tooth could change lives?

Since 2018, Starbucks Malaysia has raised over RM105,842 through the sale of its crowd-favourite Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies, lovingly made by Silent Teddies Bakery a social enterprise powered by the Community Service Centre for the Deaf (CSCD).

Now, that cookie money is doing more than just tasting good it’s rebuilding futures.

Breathing Life Back Into CSCD

For years, the CSCD building was falling apart literally. Over half the space was unsafe: ceilings had collapsed, asbestos roofing was damaged, and electrical wiring was a hazard. Not exactly the best place for learning or working.

But today? That story is changing.

Thanks to cookie sales (and public support), CSCD is being revitalized not just repaired, but reimagined. The upgraded centre will house a modern learning space, a café, and even an event venue — all built to empower Deaf youth and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through skills, training, and real-world experience.

Last year, Starbucks Malaysia also donated 72 chairs, 41 tables, and a prep station to the centre plus 84 volunteer hours from 28 Starbucks partners. Every bit counts toward creating a space that’s safe, inclusive, and future-ready.

It’s More Than Just a Cookie

This cookie isn’t just a snack, it’s a symbol.

Since 2018, Starbucks has pledged RM1 from every Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie sold to CSCD. That’s more support for education, training, and awareness-building across Malaysia and more jobs sustained at Silent Teddies.

Behind every cookie is a step forward for inclusion.

A Deaf-Inclusive Movement

This collaboration helped set the stage for a global milestone: the launch of the world’s first Starbucks Signing Store in Bangsar Village II in 2016, run entirely by Deaf partners.

Today, there are four Signing Stores in Malaysia, each one standing tall as a symbol of Deaf empowerment and visibility.

It all started with a shared mission between Starbucks Malaysia and Silent Teddies and it was made possible thanks to CSCD’s support, and the grit of its former students, who are now Starbucks baristas, trainers, and community leaders.

None of this would be possible without the passion and persistence of Silent Teddies’s founder and CSCD’s principal, Cindy Leong and Rose Ng whose dedication has opened doors for countless Deaf Malaysians. Together with Starbucks Malaysia, they have built more than just a partnership, they’ve created a movement.

As Starbucks Malaysia looks ahead, its commitment remains steadfast, to uplift communities through purposeful partnerships that extend beyond the counter. With every cookie sold, every sign shared, and every life empowered, Starbucks and CSCD continue to shape a more inclusive and compassionate Malaysia.

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