27 Jul, 2026
Last year a grant was secured for The Coffee Club program at Pendle Hill Retirement Community, funded by Cumberland Council. The aim was to provide an avenue for reducing social isolation and loneliness, strengthening social participation and belonging, and improving inclusion and accessibility for older residents through food. Having concluded its 12‑month funding period, it provided a valuable insight into how funding, evaluation, and impact come together to bring shared benefits for Fresh Hope Communities and the wider community.
The Coffee Club became far more than a weekly gathering over shared food. It quietly began to reshape the everyday lives of residents who were looking for connection, confidence, and a sense of belonging. What began as a modest, grant‑funded initiative grew into a place where people rediscovered community in ways that were both deeply personal and surprisingly powerful.
Residents spoke about how the simple act of preparing food together changed the atmosphere in the room. Instead of sitting at two long rows of tables at opposite ends of the room, waiting to be served, they stood together at the benches, chopping vegetables, stirring pots and chatting with people they had lived alongside for years but never truly met.
Donna Gauci, Community Manager at Pendle Hill Retirement Community, noticed that this shift—from passive participation to shared ownership—helped residents open up. People who were once quiet at the table found themselves laughing in the kitchen, offering opinions and advice, or proudly presenting a dish they helped to create.
For many, Coffee Club became the highlight of their week. Early on in the program, one resident described it as “the first time in a long time I’ve felt part of something.” Another said they had started meeting friends outside the program because Coffee Club “gave me the confidence to say yes again.” The evaluation reflects these lived experiences: more than 80 per cent of participants felt more connected to their community, nearly 87 per cent were socialising more regularly and reported gaining new understanding of different cultures.
The food itself played a meaningful role. Annamarie, Plena Health’s program nutritionist, provided guidance and helped residents explore new cuisines and understand the value of protein and balanced meals. Even those who were hesitant and initially reluctant to try things out of their comfort zone (“I don’t like vegetables”), found themselves trying something new because a friend or neighbour had cooked it. The hands‑on sessions showed residents that healthy meals could be simple, nutritious, affordable and enjoyable. Some even began recreating recipes at home.
Funding initiatives like this always present challenges and learnings. Time with the nutritionist often felt too short, and the tight budget limited variety in what was able to be prepared. But these frustrations became opportunities for curiosity and optimism for what could be possible in the future. Residents were keen for more: more learning, more cooking and more time together.
With the evaluation complete, Jared Naidoo, Fresh Hope Communities’ Impact Funding Lead, is optimistic about what this could mean for future opportunities to secure grant funding. “The Coffee Club at Pendle Hill is a strong example of how externally funded, resident‑centred community programs can generate substantial social value while placing minimal financial pressure on the organisation. In other words, small investments can unlock big shifts in wellbeing, belonging and community life, which crucially, all align with Fresh Hope Communities’ values, purpose and mission.”
The Coffee Club’s impact is clear. For every dollar ($1) invested, $7 of social value was created, an exceptional cost-benefit ratio. But the real story sits in the lived moments and in the renewed discovery that food is a common ground and hospitality is how we take care of each other. That in partaking, there can be new friendships, renewed confidence, nourishment, and the feeling of being part of something meaningful together.
We hope to use these outcomes to help sustain The Coffee Club through increased and external funding, while also paving the way for other opportunities in order to have a felt impact across other areas in Fresh Hope Communities.