Coffees for the needy getting hot in Perth

Date
    April 26, 2013

   




suspended coffee

Coffee shops are reporting an enthusastic response from customers wanting to take part in the anonymous service.     :)

Hundreds of free coffees are waiting to be claimed by Perth's disadvantaged and homeless, as part of a growing trend of cafes offering "suspended coffees".

The charitable concept offers customers the chance to buy a coffee that the cafe will later give to someone who can't afford to buy their own.     :)

Mugshots Espresso Bar owner Angelo Grieco cottoned on to the idea after visiting Naples, where the idea of suspended coffees – known there as caffe sospeso - originated.
Mugshot's suspended coffees count is climbing.



"We actually saw it in Italy, in Naples, a few years ago and apparently it's been there for quite a long time," he said.


"We thought we'd introduce it, everyone's caught on at the same time, it's great."     :)

Mugshots is one of at least seven cafes in Perth offering suspended coffees.

In the week since introducing the now worldwide idea to his customers, almost 50 have been bought at Mr Grieco's Fremantle cafe.

"It's absolutely amazing," he said.

"People say 'I'll have that and three suspended coffees as well'."     :)

"Everyone has a bit of a down day and I think a cup of coffee or something warm, something that they can't really afford helps.

"You see a lot of people walking by and looking and you can see they'd love to have a cup of coffee.

"We can't save the world but we can do our bit."

CBD cafe owner Frank Grabbi said the suspended coffee label legitimised something some cafes had already been doing.

"At Woogi Espresso we were kind of doing that all the time, just not under any sort of concept," he said.

"If someone came in that was disadvantaged or displaced we would just make them a coffee.     :)

"I've got one local guy that comes in, I don't even think he knows what it is, he just gets a free coffee."

Mr Grabbi said his two Woogi cafes would offer a coffee to anyone "who looks like they're in need".

"We talk it up a little bit when they come in and people are really interested, they usually buy one straight away," he said.

"I think the scope of suspended coffees can be broader than displaced, it can benefit anyone who's having a bad day; a parent sitting at children's hospital and needs to get out.

"If someone comes in and a three-piece suit that's okay; if that person thinks he's in need of a coffee he should get one. Hopefully he'll come back tomorrow and buy one for someone else.     :)

"It's all about paying it forward."

Cafes offering suspended coffees put up a sign advertising the service, but have more donations than claims, Mr Grabbi, who hoped to extend to suspended food, said.

"It's a strange thing to encourage a homeless guy to come in and get a free coffee," he said.

"A lot of people are a bit too proud, so we offer it to them.

"We get about two or three bought a day and we've currently got about 100 waiting."

The problem faced by participating cafes is getting the word out to those in need.

"What we're doing now is waiting on St Patrick's [Community Support Centre] to give us a hand to get them claimed, let them be aware that we're here," Mr Greico said.

"They're going to put it through their newsletter."

Mr Grabbi noted a similar problem in the CBD.

"We need agencies to get the word out," Mr Grabbi said.

"I started a little mail out to everyone from the children's hospital to Mission Australia and Anglicare.

"When I spoke to Mission Australia and Anglicare they didn't know what I was talking about, they thought it was free coffees for the staff, but people are catching on."

CAFES OFFERING SUSPENDED COFFEES.     :)

Shots on Lake - 101 Lake Street, Perth
The Sparrow's Nest - 935 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park
Croissant Express Carillon - Carillon Arcade, Murray St Mall, Perth
The Little Concept - 7 Wray Avenue, Fremantle
Mugshots Espresso Bar - 17-23 Collie Street, Fremantle
Woogi Espresso - 7/26 St Georges Terrance, Perth
Woogi Espresso Too - 239 Adelaide Terrace, Perth

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/coffees-for-the-needy-getting-hot-in-perth-20130424-2idxv.html#ixzz2RXUFiLli

thats nice.. I think a sandwich would do more good...but I guess coffee is ok..

What about a bullet?

I don't think that comment was called-for.

cods wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 5:47pm:

thats nice.. I think a sandwich would do more good...but I guess coffee is ok..

Totally agree.

Instead of getting them hooked on caffeine, give them some decent food.

Just another marketing strategy.

Pffft

Perhaps bystander wants to help them feed themselves.

Melbourne people are, on the whole, a kind and generous lot
SUCH a scheme could work well here

Were it not for Lord Mayor Robert "Pop-eye" Doyle - who now has the CBD homeless arrested and removed - as he says they make tourists feel "uncomfortable"

The biggest problem here is that people don't realise that the homeless want to be homeless, its a lifestyle choice, too many people try and view the homeless in their own eyes, just leave them alone and stop cramping their homeless lifestyle for f*cks sake, and if you really want to help them out give them a bottle of metho, its a lot cheaper than coffee and they'll appreciate more.  ;)

cods wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 5:47pm:

thats nice.. I think a sandwich would do more good...but I guess coffee is ok..

We should expand the scheme into liquor stores, where friendly souls can buy suspended goon bags and give them what they really want.

Innocent bystander wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 10:23pm:

The biggest problem here is that people don't realise that the homeless want to be homeless, its a lifestyle choice, too many people try and view the homeless in their own eyes, just leave them alone and stop cramping their homeless lifestyle for f*cks sake, and if you really want to help them out give them a bottle of metho, its a lot cheaper than coffee and they'll appreciate more.  ;)

Gawd. . . .

SOME may want to be homeless but they obviously have issues that arent being dealt with (mental). Most do not want to be homeless. I saw some stats last year that most homeless ppl in ACT are middle aged women. They couch surf until they cant anymore.

SOB

I would just like to Ask which Class of people (We do have a class wealfare here in Australia) here in Australia, would be asked to buy/ make the donations for the coffees to be given to homeless etc.

Would the average other homeless person have to do it or only the filthy rich.

dingo2 wrote on Apr 27^th, 2013 at 7:25am:

I would just like to Ask which Class of people (We do have a class wealfare here in Australia) here in Australia, would be asked to buy/ make the donations for the coffees to be given to homeless etc. Would the average other homeless person have to do it or only the filthy rich.

Its just customers in the coffee shop dingo - prolly middle class - although its usually the lower wage earners that give the most because they know what its like

What i would like to know is who claims the coffees. Prolly ppl like andrei.

SOB

But Andrei's not disadvantaged and homeless.

dingo2 wrote on Apr 27^th, 2013 at 8:17am:

But Andrei's not disadvantaged and homeless.

Exactly - but the coffee is free

SOB