If you or someone you know is struggling with infertility, you're not alone.
Roughly 19% of women in the United States are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying and about 26% of women have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors may recommend fertility treatments but those who turn to this option can find the out-of-pocket costs are staggering. The average IVF patient undergoes more than one cycle and racks up a bill close to $50,000 in treatment. That number was far out of reach for Autumn Lucy and her husband in Detroit.
After some research, Lucy learned that Starbucks helped part-time employees cover IVF costs. She applied for a part-time job and started making TikTok videos to document her journey. She inspired many others to do the same, including Victoria DePonceau in Monte Vista, Colorado.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
These women are just two of many around the country who are getting part-time jobs at Starbucks to help afford IVF and expand their families. There's even a Facebook support group with more than 8,000 members.
As of Oct. 1, 2022, Starbucks has an expanded family reimbursement benefit for employees.
"At Starbucks, we strive to be a different kind of company – one that puts our people first – and our benefits reflect that for all our partners (employees), both full-time and part-time," said Sara Kelly, executive vice president and chief partner officer at Starbucks
Money Report
Watch this video to learn how Starbucks is helping couples expand their families.
