Gold Coast based not-for-profit, Serving Our People, is launching Australia’s first charity-owned not-for-profit coffee shop, with 100% of profits going directly to support the charity’s work across South-east Queensland.
Set to open on 22 December, SERVED. by Serving Our People, will operate as a hole in the wall coffee and juice window at the charity’s Gold Coast headquarters in Mermaid Beach.
Serving Our People Founder and President, Yas Matbouly, said SERVED. allows Gold Coast locals to support a meaningful cause in the simplest way possible.
“We know that times are tough for a lot of people at the moment, meaning it can be harder to donate to others. The concept of SERVED. allows individuals to support a great cause without spending more money than they normally would,” said Yas.
“Connecting with the local community is so important to us at Serving Our People, and SERVED. offers us another great opportunity to do just that.
“We hope SERVED. will attract the attention of locals, on their morning walk or daily commute to work, who otherwise may walk straight past the charity, were it not for the bright blue and white striped awning above the coffee window.”
Serving ‘The People’s Coffee’ and ‘The People’s Water’, the concept for the initiative originated from Serving Our People’s COO and newly appointed Board Member Justin Cohen, an accomplished business professional with retail, sales and marketing expertise.
“Our desire is for SERVED. to have a meaningful and positive impact on the local community by offering high quality coffee and service with a purpose: To benefit those within our community less fortunate than ourselves,” said Justin.
“By purchasing a coffee, juice or water from SERVED., our local community will directly support those less advantaged than themselves, and what better way to start the day than by giving back to your funds raised from SERVED. will support a range of the organisation’s initiatives, including its donation boxes (rolled out in supermarkets across the Gold Coast and Brisbane), and future expansion."
Following the launch of SERVED., Serving Our People hopes to roll the concept out right across South-east Queensland and beyond.
SERVED. will use St Remio coffee beans (sourced responsibly from Rwanda), bringing the Melbourne based company to the Gold Coast for the first time.
SERVED. will be open from 5am to 2pm seven days a week and is located at 2582-2584 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach (entrance via 4-6 Seaview Avenue).
The launch comes in the leadup to Serving Our People’s opening of Queensland's first ‘free supermarket’, also located at the organisation’s headquarters.
The ‘free supermarket’ is set to officially launch to the public on December 22, alongside a Christmas lunch with over 300 members of the Gold Coast’s homeless community in attendance.
To further celebrate the festive season, Serving Our People will host a Christmas toy drive and pop-up gift-wrapping shop at Pacific Fair, with the public encouraged to purchase and donate gifts to those in need. As part of the pop-up, Christmas hampers and Pacific Fair gift vouchers will be distributed to over 100 individuals across the Gold Coast.
For more information on Serving Our People or to donate visit sop.org.au.
