DADAA’s Humble Pantry in Fremantle a cafe with a difference

A CAFE with a difference is the aim of ‘Humble Pantry’ as part of DADAA’s redevelopment of the former Old Boys School in Fremantle.

DADAA provides access to arts and culture for people with a disability or a lived experience of mental illness.

DADAA executive director David Doylesaid from the very start they had a dream of turning the old kitchen and courtyard into a cafe.

“Humble Pantry’s vision is to serve coffee and food and provide training and job opportunities for people with a disability,” he said.

“It was really vital to have people with disabilities central to the cafe.

“We want to see people working, being trained and developing a workforce in the cafe.”

DADAA is trying to raise $55,000 to refurbish the current kitchen.

With one in five people in Australia living with a disability, Mr Doyle said labour force participation for those people is unacceptably low.

“The labour force participation rate is 52 per cent for people with a disability compared with 82 per cent for people without a disability,” he said.

“This figure has changed very little over the past 20 years.

“Equal Opportunity Commissioner Yvonne Henderson spoke about the lack of employment for the disabled as ‘disgraceful’.

“We want to make people who live with a disability not be invisible in the workforce, we want to make it normal – as it should be.”

There are 24 days remaining for members of the public and businesses to donate to the refurbishment.

Mr Doyle said the founding donor Brayco Stainless Steel Australia has provided $15,000 for benches, sinks and shelves for the cafe kitchen.

“We are now seeking other local businesses and donors to assist us in raising $55,000,” he said.

To donate go to https://startsomegood.com/humblepantryfremantle

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