THE AUSTRALIAN COFFEE INDUSTRY UNITES TO DO GOOD
Each year, CafeSmart, under the umbrella of StreetSmart, invites the Australian café and hospitality community to raise much-needed funds for small grassroots organisations doing big impact work around homelessness.
Sign-up now to support your local community! 1 – 7 August 2022.
Millions of coffees and hot brews have been enjoyed in the history of this event, raising over $1.6 million to fight homelessness. And with the 12th year of CafeSmart is kicking off in just four weeks, cafés from all states and territories are encouraged to join and celebrate a week of pouring coffees for a good cause, during ‘Homelessness Week’.
“CafeSmart is a week of community participation, workplaces coming together, and seeing people support an initiative they believe in,” says StreetSmart CEO, Geoff Hills. “We have such longstanding contributors who have supported the cause for so long, and it’s those roasters and café operators who are the real drivers of the event’s success.”
There are already more than 200 cafés registered to take part in the event and help raise funds by donating $1 per coffee sold on Friday 5 August. They will also encourage customers to donate the cost of a coffee via a QR code featured on stickers to be placed on coffee cups, posters, and in-store signage.
Coffee roasters are getting involved by encouraging their wholesale café network to take part in the event, and by raising funds from retail bean sales.
“Since day dot we’ve been getting involved and helping connect more awesome cafes to this campaign. The Single O crew love to get involved and every year it’s a case of thinking differently how we increase the donations. We always encourage our cafes to join the event and we also support them with a few free beans on the day” said Mike Brabant, General Manager, Single O. And continues “We have inspired (but not mandated) ‘smart dress ups on the day’ to our café staff, and over last few years have run a $5 per pack incentive on retail & online sales which has gone well. People love to get involved with it!”.
As the cost-of-living surges, homelessness services are seeing more and more people seeking help and are struggling to meet demand. CafeSmart small community grants are vital for funding the critical, emergency care for vulnerable people at local grassroots services. Funds raised through the event will help marginalised communities, including people experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, poverty, food insecurity and hunger, disability, poor mental and physical health and social isolation.
StreetSmart Australia recently heard from an organisation they support who said “the situation is desperate” for many clients:
“Every day we continue to see new people who are experiencing homelessness, some for the first time. Others, who have been in short term accommodation, find themselves having nowhere to stay once again. Women are returning to violence in their home as there is no clear housing pathway allowing them to leave. Housing affordability and housing vacancy numbers are at an all-time low, so many families are living in between cars, family, friends and motels.”
This coffee movement is a great opportunity to show your customers that you really care about your local community and are taking action to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in your area. It’s good for business, good for team-building and good for your community.
Cafe’s registrations will close by 16 July – Sign up now, don’t be latte!
