By NICOLE VALICEK
THE TEAM at Laverton Community Café are settling into their new home at the Laverton Community Hub and service has never been better.
The volunteer run café is now open for business after moving into the hub recently as part of its $8.9 million makeover.
The café was originally located in the Laverton Neighbourhood House and various other location in the municipality.
Its new home on the corner of Donald and Crown streets features a commercial grade kitchen.
The café runs out of the hub on Wednesdays and out of the Altona Meadows Community Centre on Fridays.
Laverton Community Centre community support officer Ellen Warren said the café originally started with the idea of providing emergency relief and a place where people could get a hot meal.
“One part of the Laverton Community Café was to have emergency relief, food parcels and also ensure access to meals,” she said.
Ms Warren said another component was to educate people about how to create a healthy three-course meal with items found in the fridge.
“By eating there people get to talk to the staff so they learn (about health eating habits) that way as well.”
The main focus of the café was to support disadvantaged people in the community by providing them with a meal and social inclusion, she said.
But members of the public are more than welcome to drop in.
“It’s about inclusion, making sure people can socialise, eat, a lot of them can’t afford to go to a fancy restaurant. We provide a decent quality meal.”
Ms Warren said the move means the café and its staff can provide service two days a week.
“The café is all staffed by volunteers, from our cook through to our prep crew through to our dish hands.”
