During Homelessness Week 2021 cafés around the country are taking action against homelessness through CaféSmart by raising money to support their local charities and services.
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Over the past 11 years, annual event CafeSmart run by homeless charity StreetSmart Australia, has raised and distributed over $1.5million to over 1,000 local projects by bringing together local café businesses and coffee drinkers, to help vulnerable people in their neighbourhood.
Local café Sprout Eden will be taking part from August 2 - 8 to support people experiencing homelessness in the area. All week, customers can donate the cost of a coffee via a QR code or online, and on Friday 6 Aug the café will be donating $1 per coffee sold.
Nosh Merimbula, Oaklands Cafe and Toast Cafe in Pambula also participating in the campaign this year. Keep an eye out for any other participating venues.
Geoff Hills, CEO, StreetSmart Australia said, "We know we have a homelessness crisis in Australia and CafeSmart shows that the public want that to change and do their bit to help."
"It's a great opportunity to help fund smaller homeless services on the frontline. We encourage everyone to find their local participating café. But if you can't head into a café, you can donate the cost of a coffee through our website," he said.
"The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role CafeSmart funding plays in supporting the charities who provide essential services to some of the most vulnerable Australians.
"During the past 18 months, many people sought help from charities for the first time in their lives, some of whom had no prior knowledge of the community sector, leaving many organisations overwhelmed," Mr Hills said.
Through CafeSmart, locally raised donations are pooled and directed back into local homeless charities delivering frontline services, many of which have little public funding to sustain their work.
These are services that are providing hot meals, putting roofs over people's heads, and working hard towards long-term solutions to the crisis.
To view an interactive map with all participating cafés or to donate the cost of a coffee online, visit: https://streetsmartaustralia.org/cafesmart/
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Leah Szanto
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
