The overwhelming generosity of the Lilydale community has left one cafe urging people to use its pay it forward vouchers at a time of immense need.
Seeing hundreds of dollars accumulate over the last 12 months, CriBB Cafe and Bar venue manager Kelly Parker said she would love for people who may need some extra help to use a voucher for a meal or warm drink.
“There’s a lot more (vouchers) getting put up than are actually being taken away,” she said.
“We want you to use them. We wouldn’t have it there if we didn’t want you to use it. It’s not there for show. It’s there to be used. The emptier, realistically, the better.
“I know there has to be people out there in the public that could use it right now.”
Having been through a financial rough patch herself, Kelly said the option of going to a cafe with her children for a discounted meal would have been a huge comfort.
“I’d have been able to come down here with my kids, give them breakfast, have a smoothie or have a coffee. I would have used that,” she said.
“I had a house, I had a roof over my head. My husband had a good income, we weren’t poor, we weren’t homeless, but we really needed that help, and I just don’t think I’m the only person out there.”
With people struggling to make ends meet because of rising costs, Kelly said people shouldn’t feel embarrassed or judged, that there’s a ‘no questions asked’ attitude from all staff at the cafe.
People should feel welcomed and encouraged to just walk into the cafe and take a voucher from the board at the entryway.
While some people use the vouchers themselves, others take a voucher for someone else they know in the community.
“They always ask but they don’t need to ask. Some people take a voucher and they’re like, ‘Oh, I know someone who could really use this’.
“Other people will just come in and they’re like, ‘can I use $10 towards my meal?’ And I’m like, ‘yes, use $20, don’t pay for it at all’.”
Kelly said the pay it forward board also has a number of free coffee cards left behind by regulars who have reached their tenth coffee, entitling them to a free one, but choose to donate it instead.
What started a year ago after one person paid for the coffee of the person behind them in the queue, Kelly said, has evolved into people donating $10, $20 and sometimes even $50 vouchers.
“Pay it forward is really big these days. It’s quite common to go to a cafe and have them say ‘the person in front of you has already paid for your coffee’.
“But having that board is actually physical evidence of how many people have put something up there and are willing to give back.”
The CriBB Cafe and Bar is located at 222 Maroondah Highway Lilydale and is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7am to 2.30pm, Friday 7am to late, Saturday from 8am to late and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.
