It’s not often that a local newspaper tells readers where they should buy their morning coffee, but this week the Bega District News is doing just that.
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This Friday, August 4, 15 cafes across the Bega Valley are participating in CafeSmart, an annual initiative that turns your morning coffee into a tool for fighting homelessness.
Across Australia, $1 from every coffee bought at partnering cafes on Friday will be donated to local charities providing services to the homeless. In the Bega Valley, the money will all go to the Reaching Out Foundation.
Reaching Out Foundation directors Ross Williams and Danielle Collins said this is the second time the event has been run locally – last year it raised more than $2,400.
“This initiative is mainly based in Australia’s capital cities,” Mr Williams said. “We’ve broken the mould a bit by bringing it to a regional area.”
“Last year was very successfull,” Ms Collins said. “I think because people know all the money is staying in the local area they know that it really is making a difference to our community.”
Over the past few weeks Mr Williams and Ms Collins have knocked on the doors of almost every cafe in the Bega Valley in an attempt to get them on board with CafeSmart.
“It’s sad but it’s a fact that homelessness is a big issue here,” Ms Collins said. “What was amazing was that when people heard what the money was going to, they enthusiastically signed up.”
Each participating cafe will also have a donation tin, which Ms Collins is encouraging all to use – even if it is just 50 cents change.
“We just want everyone to grab their friends and go out for coffee, or get takeaway, just as long as it’s at one of the participating cafes,” Ms Collins said.
So far the local participating cafes include Sprout and Roswitha’s Deli in Eden; Oaklands and Wild Rye’s in Pambula; Saltwater Organic, Club Sapphire, Waterfront Cafe and the Sundeck Cafe in Merimbula; Hudsons Coffee at the South East Regional Hospital; Bankin’ Beans, Red Café and Issi and Co. in Bega; Kalaru Koffee at Kalaru; and Blend@tathra and HowWeRoll in Tathra.