Pictured (left to right, top to bottom): The Pantry WA, Orange Sky Darwin, 3rd Space, and Toby’s Estate team in Sydney
In August, as part of Homelessness Week, cafes across Australia turned into hubs of community action, raising funds to support those in their local area who are facing homelessness. CafeSmart 2024 showcased the incredible community-driven efforts of the Australian coffee industry, uniting 50 roasters, 800 cafes, an incredible network of industry sponsors, and of course thousands of coffee lovers and cafe goers in taking action on homelessness.
CafeSmart leverages the social nature of coffee to drive collective action, and channels support for smaller, frontline organisations in a localised way. Cafes donated $1 per coffee sold on CafeSmart 2024 day and their generous customers chipped in, raising an incredible total of $210,645! This has enabled us to plug funding gaps for over 110 grassroots organisations and bring about change for those without a safe place to call home.
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With rates of rough sleeping on the rise and an overwhelmed and underfunded homelessness sector intent on responding to the surge of new faces that walk through their doors each day, initiatives like CafeSmart are critical. Community grants raised from CafeSmart keeps doors open, community meals cooking, street outreach teams stocked with hygiene essentials, and crisis accommodation services running.
By creating new opportunities to give back to your local region, CafeSmart 2024 helped to not only strengthen communities and create change for those experiencing homelessness but also to spark important conversations and reduce stigma. The yellow CafeSmart posters, stickers, and online quiz through the campaign created positive ways for communities to strike up conversations about homelessness, and importantly, take action together.
“Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity and understanding of volunteer led organisations seeking to provide for those in our community that need a hand up!“
– The Outpost Geelong in VIC (on Wathaurong Country)
Some of the coffee-fuelled change from CafeSmart 2024
Pictured: Meals with Impact
Axil Coffee Roasters on Bourke St (who raised nearly $400!) are helping provide culturally appropriate food relief.
“The purpose of this funding is to provide additional opportunities for creating culturally appropriate food relief to battle against the growing rate of food insecurity. This program provides halal meal support to CALD communities, while also employing women from migrant and refugee backgrounds- thank you so much for the support!”
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-Meals with Impact in VIC (on Wurundjeri Country)
Toby’s Estate (who raised $1,200!), is helping give dignity and immediate support to women facing homelessness
“Most of the marginalised women who visit Lou’s Place have experienced multiple trauma in their lives and the majority are facing issues of homelessness, domestic violence, mental health, addiction, poverty and social isolation. Funding like this helps meet women’s basic needs with hot food, clothing, toiletries, showers, laundry, and phone credit, and flexible vouchers.”
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-Lou’s Place in NSW on Gadigal Country
Pictured: Toby’s Estate team in Sydney
Pictured: The Old Corner Shop team
The Old Corner Shop (who raised over $400!) is helping provide tents, hygiene and food packs to those experiencing homelessness.
“Over 300 families a week are moving to Moreton Bay. Our organisation has seen an exponential increase in homeless community members with 44% of them female. This funding will help us provide ‘wellbeing packs’ to homeless individuals such as basic food, blankets, hygiene items and tents. Every cent helps, thank you! ”
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-Encircle Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Centre in QLD on Gabi Gabi Country
La Casa Nostra Deli (who raised $1,060!) are helping fund crisis accommodation responses.
“The Ranch is the only Crisis Accommodation on the entire Mornington Peninsula and is run with no assistance from Government. It’s provided 4040 nights of safe accommodation provided to people sleeping rough, on our foreshores or in cars while they are navigating the turmoil of being faced with homelessness and getting ‘back on their feet’. Thank you for this support to keep our community sheltered and supported.”
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-Mornington Community Support Centre, VIC (on Bunurong Country)
Pictured: The Ranch
Pictured: Besser Brew Bar
Besser Brew Bar and Laneway Speciality Coffee (raising over $500!) are helping provide showers, laundry and social connection to those sleeping rough.
“This funding is going a long way in helping us provide free laundry, showers and non-judgemental conversation to people experiencing disadvantage throughout the Darwin region. There are complex reasons as to why they do not make it home, and this represents a significant number of the people we currently support.“
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– Orange Sky Darwin in NT on Larrakia Country
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A huge shoutout to our amazing sponsors: Vitasoy and La Marzocco, our Principal Sponsors, and Coffee Tools Distributing and Prana Chai, our Supporting Sponsors, for their financial backing and commitment to the campaign. Thanks also to our media partners, BeanScene Magazine and Broadsheet, for helping us spread the word across the coffee and hospitality industry.
And finally, a massive thank you to the amazing roasters and cafes that jumped on board to make it all possible, and to every single person who grabbed a coffee, donated, and celebrated CafeSmart 2024! Your enthusiasm and dedication towards fighting homelessness is what makes this campaign so special!
