Coffee Cup Challenge 2023-24
October 1st 2023 was International Coffee Day and marked the beginning of the annual Coffee Cup Challenge.
What is The Coffee Cup Challenge?
Those participating in The Coffee Cup challenge are asked to donate the cost of one cup of coffee each week, from October 1st 2023 (International Coffee Day) to Pancake Day February 13 2024, approximately 20 weeks later. The funds raised are used by the Uniting Church to help meet the many needs of homeless people.
How did it start?
Six years ago a TV news item showed police “moving on” a group of homeless people who had been sleeping rough outside Flinders St Station. The Australian Tennis Open was about to commence and it was thought that this group presented a bad impression of Melbourne, when shown on world television.
An American tourist who was standing nearby made the comment of “Melbourne! This is not a good look” to the television crew. At the time I noticed she was holding a cup of coffee so I took this comment to our minister Rev. Kim Cain and together we decided to launch an event called The Coffee Cup Challenge.
The idea was that we would give people a coffee mug and ask them to give the equivalent of shouting a homeless person a cup of coffee once a week, from October 1st to Pancake Day, approximately 20 weeks later. The funds raised were used by the Uniting Church to help meet the many needs of homeless people. The event was so successful that we decided to run it each year and in the last six years the St Leonard’s congregation has raised $84,703 and we are confident that this year our total amount raised will exceed $100,000. The Uniting Church is now inviting its congregations in Victoria and Tasmania to run this event annually.
“…in the last six years the St Leonard’s congregation has raised $84,703”
This year, the money raised from our Coffee Cup Challenge will be used for a new project called “The Ruffy Project” (as in Sleeping Rough). Our funds have purchased canvas, needles, threads etc and a group of people are being trained to manufacture swags for the homeless people who are sleeping rough in the open.
This innovative and exciting project will not only provide bedding for the needy but it will also train unemployed people in the craft of Canvas Fabrication. The ultimate aim is to distribute swags throughout Victoria and Tasmania. Toilet packs will also be provided for these homeless people.
Barry Schofield
St Leonard’s Coffee Cup Challenge Convenor