Beloved owner of community-focused beaches spot Mind Cafe, Guy Morel, has publicly shared his return to rehab as he grapples with mental health struggles relating to the cafe’s impending closure, unless it finds a lifeline of its own.
After a friend prevented him from ending his life in 2018, the mental health advocate decided he wanted to extend the helping hand he was given, back out to the vulnerable within his community.
Tragically, due to financial hardship, this dream may be ending.
The store was originally doomed to close in 2024, but after a gracious fundraising effort of over $50K from the community, they lived to operate another year.
It’s since become clear that a purpose-dominated operation like Mind Cafe will only survive if it is established as a charity, something Guy says he regrets not doing from the outset. He is currently in isolation receiving treatment.
Anna Maria, Guy’s wife, has been manning the front in his absence, assuring the people still have a safe space to visit while also looking into solutions to save the cafe.
With the closure of the cafe becoming a reality, Guy’s mental state took a turn for the worse, expressing suicidal feelings mirroring his state seven years ago.
“As we all know, it was you (our wonderful community) that got us out of trouble last year but I would never expect the same again. Unfortunately, our situation, this is why I’m feeling the way I do today,” a post from Guy read on the Mind Cafe’s community Facebook group.
“I feel like I’ve let everyone down. I know I should have started the charity process from the beginning and I believe we wouldn’t be in this situation. I take full responsibility. So SORRY.
“My mental health feels the same as it did those weeks leading to my suicide attempt.”
“We had so much help from the community and people always coming to help, we had the GoFundMe last year, and we have people volunteering,” Anna Maria told Manly Observer, talking over a crowded morning rush in the cafe last week.
“All the support, and still the cafe is struggling. And then for Guy, he feels that he’s failing. He’s blaming him so much, he’s feeling like he let people down. And of course, it had a really big impact on him. He can’t see how many beautiful things he did.”
“It had a really big impact on him. He can’t see how many beautiful things he did.”
Federal Member for Mackellar Sophie Scamps, who advocated for the cafe when it was struggling last year, put out the call for the community to gather around the business once more.
“Guy has had such a wonderful impact on our community, leading the way with his big heart and immense capacity for kindness. His Mind Cafe in Narrabeen has become a place of belonging for everyone. Now it’s our turn to support Guy. We love you Guy and a deeply appreciate everything you’ve done for our community,” Ms Scamps said.
The most promising option to save the cafe right now is to apply for charity status. This will allow the store to receive certain benefits and grants from organisations which will keep them afloat financially. However, for this to be applicable, the store will need to first eradicate its debt, which is quite high, according to its accountant.
But First, Why Should They Be A Charity?
While purpose over profit hasn’t proven to be a fantastic business model, it has helped – and continues to help – a lot of people.
One of the most useful services is the Coffee with Kindness session, hosted by MoWaNa, a free support service by life-experienced “community guides”. Australia Day 2024 Award winner – Senior Citizen of the Year, Aileen Ogilvie, has been a Lifeline Counsellor for 37 years and is on the Mind Cafe roster.
“Guy gives us the safe space here three nights a week… we have a safe space here for anybody who feels suicidal, is depressed, anxious, or sometimes people are just lonely and need a chat. In two years time, we’ve seen over 1700 people,” Aileen told us proudly.
Jan, a regular customer and contributor to the Coffee with Kindness group sat content next to Alieen as she shared her story of how the Mind Cafe saved her life.
“I wanted to commit suicide because I’d lost my husband in such horrible circumstances. And I said, No, Jan, drive to the Mind Cafe,” Jan shared.
https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/
“And Anna was here, and she looked at me and said, are you okay? And I said, No. She said, right, let’s get coffee and we’ll sit. And she hugged me, talked to me for about an hour, and I felt so much better. And I’ve just been coming here ever since.”
Another customer couldn’t wait to tell us how a life of bad mental health and addiction had led his life astray until he noticed a kindness sign which turned him around.
“I’ve had major struggles with mental health and what medication did to me spun my whole life upside down,” Beau told us while enjoying a chat with a friend at the cafe.
“I saw the sign out the front, ‘Be kind’, it’s the only reason I walked in… this place here seems to cover so much ground, and that’s why it’s important to me because I’m back on track to a point.”
Behind the counter, the enthusiasm is no different. The cafe hires people from all walks of life who are always ready to serve or talk to customers, such as the twin brothers John and Thomas who are famous for their caramel slice.
“I like when customers come in and have a good time, enjoy the coffee and the baked goods we make,” John said as Thomas nodded in agreement.
According to Ashleigh from not-for-profit Street Work, the cafe has been a hub for hundreds of vulnerable young people in their organisation not just for work experience, but as a place to create lasting connections.
“I’d say, [we’ve sent] hundreds of young people through here just for that connection and safe place… A good handful of young people have done work experience here and being able to put that on their resume and helped them get jobs,” she said.
Along with hosting weekly groups of people living with disabilities and special needs from SunnyField and CM Care, the establishment employs them too.
Anna Maria stated the cafe has become an institution the vulnerable had come to rely on, whether it be people in isolation or kids who stick around for a long time because they don’t feel safe at home.
But, the beauty of the place is, among all the help to the vulnerable it provides – it’s also just a good hang.
Regulars can be seen popping in and out saying hello, a group of kayakers from Narrabeen Lake have a corner reserved once a week, even local Neil Frost decided to stick around after taking his friend’s autistic son to the cafe, but ended up liking what he saw.
“I thought, well, I go out and get breakfast, I get lunch, I might as well come here and spend my money here, just to try and help, because the things that Guy and Anna do, is just way above and beyond,” Neil said, sipping calmly at a coffee while explaining.
“It’s not a business, it’s been a charity, but funded out of their own pockets, which is causing them a huge amount of stress and grief.”
“It’s not a business, it’s been a charity, but funded out of their own pockets, which is causing them a huge amount of stress and grief.”
What Will It Take To Become A Charity?
To put it plainly, some serious cash.
In order to be eligible for charity status, a business’s debts need to be paid off prior. In this case, it would cost the Mind Cafe an approximate estimate of $84K to pay for their existing ATO debt, superannuations and wages – some being due as soon as the end of April.
According to the cafe’s accountant, Kristie Howse, about $25K would get them through the next three months.
Previously, the $50K raised by the community went to rent and once again to the ATO and to Super – this is what kept them running for this long.
However, once charity status is achieved, the cafe shouldn’t have to worry about finances again in the same way.
“The benefit of having a charity is that we can obtain some larger funding, and it’s a tax-deductible for the person who’s giving those funds,” Kristie said.
“We’re hoping that we might attract some larger companies or some bigger investors to come and support the cafe, if we’re a charity, Rotary, have mentioned they could work with us… We can get more employment funding if we’re a charity, everything comes around.”
Why Donate?
It’s probably worth stating that Mind Cafe never reached out to the MO for assistance in achieving their financial goals. The first time around Guy was reluctant to ask the community for help. This time we saw Guy was in trouble and inquired to see what could be done.
Anna Maria was no exception, keeping the heart and soul of the cafe going even in dark times. Even so, when we approached her, she did not hold back in telling us why Guy’s dream deserved to live on.
“With the charity status, it opens a whole new world. We have lots of ideas and plans for the future, but at the moment we are a bit stuck,” Anna Maria told us.
“People in isolation, people that come every day, they feel safe. I have some kids that come here. Sometimes they spend all day here because they don’t feel safe at home.
“It’s not just about another business that’s closing down, We have so many people that rely on us.”
Federal Member for Mackellar Sophie Scamps,
“Guy has had such a wonderful impact on our community, leading the way with his big heart and immense capacity for kindness. His Mind Cafe in Narrabeen has become a place of belonging for everyone. Now it’s our turn to support Guy. We love you Guy and a deeply appreciate everything you’ve done for our community,” Ms Scamps said.
Perhaps this article wasn’t enough to describe how their services impact the community, but one only needs to visit to understand the love and care everyone in that establishment is willing to give just because they can.
So, if you’d like to help the cafe reach charity status, why not donate? Or just show your support in other ways, grab a coffee and have a chat with someone – you never know how much you can make a difference.
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