In Shanghai, coffee shops are not only consumption scenes for tasting coffee and relaxing, but they are also becoming nodes in the city's public welfare network.
During the 2026 Shanghai Charity Week, the "Warmth of a Cup of Coffee" public welfare activity hosted by the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau was launched for the fifth time. From August 31st to September 6th, over 90 coffee brands and more than 1300 coffee shops will participate, raising funds for mobile children and children with autism through consumer linkage donations, in store QR code scanning, public welfare promotion, and interactive experiences.
Compared to its inception, the scope of participation in this event is becoming more extensive.
This year's event was participated by long-term partners such as Bear Claw Coffee, Novak Coffee, One Foot Garden, Laiyifen, Burger King, KFC, Youxin Coffee, FASSINO Fano, as well as Arabica, Magic Focus Mai Centennial BOOCUP、 Newly added brands such as Manpo Li.
At the same time, Love Caf é is no longer limited to core business districts and large chain stores. Independent cafes on Xuhui Old Street, community small shops rooted in residential areas, and rural cafes located in Pudong, Minhang, Qingpu, Jinshan, Chongming, and Fengxian have also joined this event.
In addition, 68 coffee shops in the book and magazine industry, including Xinhua Bookstore, Sanlian Bookstore, Shanghai Book City, Fudan Jingshi Bookstore, Zhongshuge, Dayin Bookstore, Sinan Bookstore, etc., also participated. Coffee shops, bookstores, community spaces, and rural cultural and tourism scenes are thus connected, allowing public welfare to enter more spaces that citizens can access in their daily lives.
This is also a change that has emerged after five consecutive years of "The Warmth of a Cup of Coffee": public welfare does not have to only occur in large-scale fundraising events, but can also enter life scenes such as buying coffee, browsing bookstores, and taking community walks.
The Warmth of a Cup of Coffee "related merchandise
During the event, some companies will link the sales of designated coffee with public welfare donations. Consumers can contribute to public welfare projects by purchasing a cup of coffee. Some stores introduce relevant projects to customers by posting posters, setting up table cards and cup stickers, and playing public welfare videos. Brands such as Bear Claw Coffee, Laiyifen Laika, and FASSINO Fano will also carry out love giving and interactive activities in their stores.
Citizens can also directly scan the QR code to donate at the participating coffee shops, or log in to Tencent Charity Platform, Taobao Alibaba Charity Platform, and search for "the warmth of a cup of coffee" to participate in the activity. After completing the donation, citizens can obtain an electronic certificate of love online and apply for electronic receipts for public welfare donations.
In order to facilitate citizens in finding participating stores, the event also collaborates with a map platform. Citizens can open the Gaode map and search for the "Love Coffee Map", or search for nearby public welfare coffee shops through "Gaode Charity". The stores that were originally scattered in different corners of the city have been integrated into a public welfare map that can be queried at any time.
The funds raised in this event will be uniformly received and issued donation receipts by the Shanghai Lianquan Public Welfare Foundation, all of which will be used for the "Guarding the Heart of Shanghai" mobile children care project and the "Sailing Star" autism children care project.
Social organizations such as the Yangtze River Delta Coffee Industry Association, Shanghai Food Association, and Shanghai Children's Welfare Foundation will also participate in enterprise mobilization and public welfare communication. Tencent Charity, Gaode Charity, Dianping and other platforms provide technical and traffic support. During the event, public welfare promotional content will also be displayed on the large screens of commercial districts such as Nanjing Road, Xujiahui, and Wujiaochang, as well as on some subway and bus electronic screens.
For Shanghai, coffee has become a frequent and daily consumption in urban life. By relying on coffee shops scattered throughout neighborhoods, communities, and rural areas, public welfare can also have more entrances that reach ordinary people.
The changes that a cup of coffee can bring may be limited, but when more than 1300 stores and more consumers participate together, what it connects is no longer just scattered donations, but a city public welfare approach that is closer to daily life.