Ballarat’s Café Meals Program
Thanks to the generosity of the Medibank Community Fund, Gandel Philanthropy and the Matana Foundation, UnitingCare Ballarat is proud in 2015 to auspice Ballarat’s café meals program, Meals for Change. An initiative of the Grampians Homelessness Network, Meals for Change provides opportunities for young people aged between 15 and 25 years of age who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, to enjoy regular nutritious meals in any of the seven local cafés that have agreed to come on board as inaugural partners to the program. Young people identified as experiencing issues of; poor access to food, housing, social isolation and financial stress, are referred by their support workers from a wide number of local agencies to Meals for Change. If approved, the young person is issued with a membership card which looks much like a coffee loyalty card and with capacity for the cardholder to purchase twelve meals up to the value of $15.00, for $3.00 each time. When the membership card has been fully expended, the young person meets with their support worker and talks through what differences participation in Meals for Change is making to their health, self-esteem and community connection. A new card is issued and importantly, the timely conversation continues to grow with a focus on ‘what else can we be doing to support you?’ Partner cafés proudly display the Meals for Change logo in their windows and the wider community is invited to contribute to the program through donating their spare change to Meals for Change jars, which are located near registers. OUR PARTNER CAFES Ballarista: 2a Lydiard Street Ballarat Beechworth Bakery: 6 Grenville St Ballarat Brunches: 735 Sturt Street Ballarat Curbside Café: corner Albert & Hertford Streets Sebastopol Nibble on Sturt: 215 Sturt Street Ballarat Red Bird Café: 1215c Howitt Street Wendouree Round the Way Bagels: 30 Main Road Ballarat Whilst UnitingCare is grateful for the funding which will enable Meals for Change to support over 100 of our community’s most vulnerable young people, an estimated $55,000 will be required each subsequent year to ensure its life-changing potential remains in place. If you would like to suuport the Meals for Change program, please visit our Donate Today page.
DONATE TODAY! 5332 1286