Lithgow’s coffee lovers have been called on to to donate the cost of a coffee while ordering their favourite beverage to help improve the lives of those living in poverty during Anti-Poverty Week.
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From the October 15-21 Vanilla Cafe in Main Street will support the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW’s Cost of a Coffee appeal.
Vinnies Lithgow conference worker Gloria Cooper said all the funds raised in Lithgow would stay in the town to help those in need.
“We believe that the people in Lithgow give freely so therefore what they give us is spent only in Lithgow and on people in the Lithgow area and quite often the homeless that wander in,” Mrs Cooper said.
Across Australia around 2.9 million people are living below the poverty line, struggling to make ends meet.
Every night over 100,000 people experiencing homelessness are sleeping in unsuitable conditions and this number is growing.
“Homelessness and poverty isn’t just about those who are visibly struggling on the streets, it also affects women fleeing domestic violence and living in hostels, children whose parents are living in a car, those suffering from ongoing health problems, and many more,” Vinnies NSW CEO Jack de Groot said.
“Many of our services assist people struggling to make ends meet, with the goal to lift people out of poverty. So I encourage everyone to visit their participating coffee shops and donate, as the cost of just one coffee can go towards our services and make a real difference to someone’s life.”
If ten people donate, this could provide counselling for a couple of weeks to a woman fleeing an abusive relationship with nothing to her name.
Or your coffee could be help provide accommodation for someone experiencing homelessness.
You can also share your support by taking a photo of your coffee in front of the Cost of a Coffee poster and use #forthecostofacoffee or tag @vinniesnsw.