Social Enterprise Expansion
Did you know that our team operates a number of social enterprise businesses including cafes and a catering business? In fact, The Common Good runs a variety of social enterprise businesses across Brisbane including cafes, coffee kiosks and a catering service that all work to fund our charitable operations. These sites are known as The Cafes for The Common Good.
What is a social enterprise?
A social enterprise is a business that operates to address social problems or improve communities or the environment. In the case of The Café for The Common Good, profits from our social enterprise help sustain our operational expenses which enables us to maximise the impact of all charitable donations. This means that when you donate to The Common Good, your donation goes directly towards medical research.
Where are the social enterprises businesses located?
We operate sites in The Prince Charles Hospital, Kedron Emergency Services and Caboolture Hospital. We are excited to expand our social enterprise business into our newest site, the Police Headquarters in Roma Street. Our newest location will be serving up locally sourced, nutritious meals and the best Merlo coffee each and every day.
Fresh Food After Hours project
As further testament to our social enterprise success, we were thrilled to receive a $15,000 social enterprise growth grant from the Queensland Government to put towards our Fresh Food After Hours project which will enable us to purchase more fresh food vending machines. Our social enterprises prepare fresh food in-house and stock the vending machines for staff, patients and visitors. From spaghetti bolognese, braised lamb shanks and butter chicken, profits from our new vending machines will be directly channelled into various medical research projects and support local, fresh food suppliers.
Head Chef, Matt Fury explains how the vending machines are not just about providing access to fresh and healthy cooked meals outside of trading hours.
“For me the most important part is to be able provide a warm, home cooked meal for those people who are going through a difficult experience here at the hospital,” said Fury.
We would like to thank the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training for supporting our new fresh food vending machine initiative.
Find out more about our social enterprise businesses.
