Today’s the day to support CaféSmart 2018 and help fight homelessness.
More than 600 cafés are participating in CaféSmart 2018 on 3 August, with $1 from every coffee sold at participating cafes directed to support grassroots homeless charities.
Last year CaféSmart raised $285,500, including matched funding from partner philanthropists, and supported 156 homelessness projects across Australia. This year, CaféSmart is aiming to beat that total and raise $300,000 for critically underfunded services.
To help meet this target, Check out our google map for your local cafe,invite friends and colleagues, enjoy a coffee and chip in a donation or donate the value of a coffee (or a few) here.
According to new report Young People’s Experiences of Homelessness, Mission Australia says one in six young people surveyed have experienced homelessness, including those living in refuges, transitional accommodation and/or having spent time couch surfing.
“This is such an important report as it gives us not only an insight into the scale of youth homelessness in Australia but, perhaps most importantly, a better understanding of who these young people are and how they are impacted by homelessness,” says Mission Australia CEO, James Toomey.
“Ultimately, it should serve as a stark reminder to us all that we must take action. To do nothing risks creating a generation of young people who carry the mental and physical scars of homelessness into their adult lives. We know that too many young people in Australia don’t know where they’re going to sleep from night to night, which means it’s much harder to think about what they want to do in the future. Who miss schooling because of having to move from one temporary, inadequate dwelling to another. Who may be experiencing mental illness and living in family conflict situations without any sense of sanctuary and safety. Who are hoping to secure a job, but losing hope about their future as they see the barriers mounting without a sense of control over their own lives.”
To help support homelessness projects around Australia, support a CaféSmart participating café today.
Post your photos today with #cafesmart @streetsmartaust and go into the running for some great prices as part of Streetsmart’s annual photo comp.
For more information, visit streetsmartaustralia.org/cafesmart/
Image credit: Alana Dimou and Single O