A Little Soul Goes A Long Way

If you have been following the Bondi Chai social media accounts, you’ve most likely seen quite a few posts of late about an organisation called Soul Café in Newcastle, NSW. We’re very proud to be supporting this fantastic not-for-profit organisation which is providing ‘more than a meal’ to disadvantaged people across Newcastle and truly is transforming lives!

Soul Café has been around for quite some time, since 2003 to be exact, and have been actively helping those struggling with homelessness, addiction, crime and violence, illness, mental health and a variety of other issues. For the Soul team, it’s not about building up some personal good karma; this group of amazing people genuinely care about the community and want to do whatever they can to improve their guests’ quality of life.

“The ultimate mission of Soul Cafe is to see vulnerable cafe guests placed on a path towards increased safety, health and purpose. We aim to lift a group of people that are less fortunate to a greater level of lifestyle within our community through a comprehensive approach that assists them to work through their individual issues and to re-engage back into society.”

- soulcafe.org.au

Soul Café is run by Pastor Rick Prosser and his wife Sue (who were initially inspired to get involved by their son, Luke) and General Manager Matthew Ortiger. Rick officially became the CEO in 2015, and Sue and Matt manage a large team of volunteers, who are continuously growing in size and frequently feature former guests who were so moved by their experience at Soul that they wanted to pay it forward.

“Soul is a community response to some deep community needs.”

- Rick Prosser, CEO

Thanks to the generous community support Soul receives, they are able to offer connections for their guests to access vital services such as substance abuse programs, accommodation, Centrelink, counselling for mental health, a free doctor’s clinic, legal aid, haircuts and much more. They also provide some of the most basic needs for those who don’t have ready access, including hygiene care products, blankets, coats, etc.

When we visited Soul Café late last year it was hard to manage the strong emotions we felt to see such passionate people striving to create a better future for so many others, and to hear the stories of those who have been able to turn their lives around with the help of the Soul team. The volunteers welcomed guests at the door, served them hot meals and sat with them while they ate, whether they were interested in having a chat or just to enjoy some quiet companionship.

Recent substantial donations from Electrodry, Orica and Bondi Chai have enabled Soul Café to hire a long-needed social worker to assist their guests. She started her new role in October last year and is actively working with guests to help them get back on their feet and find jobs within their skillsets.

“I just wanted to thank Bondi Chai on behalf of Soul and our Guest Bobby. Bondi Chai (with ElectroDry & Orica) made the Soul social worker role possible. As I write the Soul social worker is sitting with Bobby who has been on the streets for 2 weeks and has no money, no ID and no proof of vaccination. With no money, no ID and no proof of vaccination he is unable to access help but because of Bondi Chai the Soul social worker is helping. So thanks to Melissa, Martin, Steph, Kristy & and all the crew at Bondi Chai for making this assistance to Bobby possible.

Thanks also to Melissa & Martin for supporting Soul by fundraising at Friday Chill. We appreciate everything.”

- Matthew Ortiger, General Manager

One of Soul Café’s most popular initiatives in the community – and the one you’ve seen us posting regularly about – is Friday Chill. Every Friday night across the summer months the Soul team hosts a free music event in Pacific Park, Newcastle, where anyone can come along between 6:30pm and 9:00pm to enjoy live music from local bands. All donations collected at these events directly support Soul Café's work. Bondi Chai is there each week, selling cups of chai latte and donating the proceeds, and we’d love to see you.

Howard, Melissa and Martin at Friday Chill

Friday Chill is Soul's main community activity during the summer months, but Soul Cafe’s major annual fundraiser is held in winter. Sleepout for Soul raises funds that support Soul's services for the rest of the year. Each year the community is invited to "sleep out" to raise money and help raise awareness of what it's like to sleep rough. It's a challenging, but rewarding exercise and the number of people taking part grows every year.

Sleepout for Soul

If you’re looking for a fantastic community support initiative to get behind, we recommend looking for the hidden gems like Soul Café in your local area, or Soul Café itself if you’re in the Newcastle area. Supporting Soul isn't limited to just financial donations – they’re also happy to accept food, washed clothing (especially coats in winter), blankets and your time as a volunteer.

You can reach Soul Café through a variety of channels, including via Facebook, Instagram, email, soulcafe.org.au, or phone them on (02) 4926 1758.