AMES social enterprise fifty-six threads café has joined forces with Suspended Coffee Society to provide free coffee to Melbourne’s disadvantaged.

Suspended coffee involves a customer paying for two coffees, one for themselves and one in advance for someone who otherwise couldn’t afford to buy a hot drink. That person can walk into any participating café and ask for a suspended coffee which will be served free of charge.

While the concept of suspended coffee is relatively new to Melbourne, it began over 100 years ago in the working class cafés of Naples, Italy and was called caffè sospeso (suspended coffee).

The anonymous form of charity has taken off in Melbourne thanks to Declan Jacobs and Jett Mahmud who, inspired by what they had heard from their Italian friends, set up a Facebook page to promote it.

Café Supervisor, Sheridan Mills said, “We’re really pleased to be one of the 120 cafés in Victoria taking part in this worthwhile initiative.  It’s great to know someone who doesn’t have the money for little luxuries like a cup of coffee will be able to enjoy one thanks to the generosity of others.”

For more information on this story, please contact Sheree Peterson on 03 9938 4238.