Barwon Child, Youth & Family CEO will volunteer his time at Courthouse Café while young people dine with the Governor-General and discuss issues impacting Geelong.
Barwon Child, Youth & Family (BCYF) CEO Sandy Morrison will not shy away from getting his hands dirty as he participates in his organisations inaugural CEO in Café Day in support of Anti-Poverty Week and BCYF’s unique food aid program Café Meals.
Mr Morrison will be volunteering his time delivering food to diners at the Courthouse Café in Geelong’s CBD to help promote more discussion and action about poverty in Geelong and around Victoria.
The event which will take place on Friday 16 October will be attended by His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove, the Governor-General of Australia and Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove.
The pair will sit down and enjoy a Café Meals lunch with young people aged 11 – 18 who are members of the Barwon Child, Youth & Family Youth Advisory Group to discuss issues impacting young people in Geelong. The major topics to be discussed will be homelessness and ways to improve the lives of children in care as well as the importance of involving young people in decision making.
“Our Café Meals program has had some tremendous outcomes in providing subsidised healthy meals in social environments to young people in participating cafes across Geelong and Colac,” said Morrison. “We are thrilled to be able to showcase this program to the Governor-General and Lady Cosgrove and use it as a catalyst to spark further conversation with young people about issues impacting our region.”
About Café Meals
Café Meals is a Barwon Child, Youth & Family program that helps young people aged 15-24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and therefore have limited access to healthy food and cooking facilities. The program provides subsidised healthy meals in participating cafes across Geelong and Colac for those in need. Young people who are eligible receive a membership card allowing them 12 visits to any of the listed cafés and they can receive a healthy meal and drink (no soft drink) for just $3. The price of these meals normally is $12-$15. This allows the young person to access affordable quality food in a social environment through a program that promotes choice, dignity and social inclusion. The young person gets to choose when they eat, what they eat and where they eat it. According to prior research this is the preferred option by young people over traditional food aid.
Participating Cafes
Courthouse Café: 60 Little Malop Street, Geelong.
Café Go: 37 Bellarine Street, Geelong.
Feeling Fruity: Westfield, Geelong.
Hearts Café: 130 Shannon Avenue, Geelong West.
Routley’s Bakery: 172 Murray Street, Colac.
Lemon Twist Café: Shop 9/10 Safeway Complex, Colac.
About Anti-Poverty Week 2015
Barwon Child, Youth & Family’s CEO in Café Day is one of the hundreds of events taking place across the country to mark Anti-Poverty Week 2015. More than ten thousand Australians will be involved.
The Week is concerned about poverty around the world, especially in the poorest countries but also in wealthier countries such as Australia. It aims to encourage as many people as possible to express publicly their interest and concern about poverty and hardship.
For more information about Anti-Poverty Week, contact apw@antipovertyweek.org.au or visit the website, www.antipovertyweek.org.au
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