Eateries around the CBD are often asked for food by the less fortunate, but one city cafe is doing its best to give away meals.
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Three Chimneys cafe collected money from coffee sales in July to hold dinners for the homeless in August.
Cafe owner Brad Davies said patrons had helped raise $3500, which is funding a weekly dinner at the cafe for the disadvantaged.
Mr Davies said attendance at the first dinner on Tuesday night was ‘‘disappointing’’ but he had been pounding the pavement to raise awareness of the dinners.
‘‘Building more of a rapport might be better, so there is a more welcoming and familiar face when people walk into the building for dinners,’’ he said.
‘‘It would be quite daunting for someone to come in asking for a meal.’’
He said the concept had received huge support and praise on social media but he would redouble efforts this week to ensure the word was spread to the right corners of society.
‘‘I’ve only just scratched the surface for agencies that help people,’’ Mr Davies said.
‘‘The Wollongong community have banded together around this idea.’’
He said he was investigating a system of vouchers that could be distributed to clients of social agencies and redeemed for meals.
Any funds left over after the dinners would be given to Carinya Cottage women’s refuge in Warrawong.