A Beenleigh entrepreneur is using her business skills to bring the unhoused community together on a weekly basis, while giving work experience to those living with a disability, one community, one kitchen and one Tuesday at a time.
Rochelle Arnott is the founder and chief executive officer of Roceel’s, a charity committed to providing food, clothing, shelter, hygiene facilities, community support and opportunities for training and employment to locals.
Roceels Café is just one of Ms Arnott’s many businesses that has been set up to support Beenleigh’s homeless community and those struggling financially.
“Every dollar made through our café, food pantry, op shop, and soon-to-open bakery goes straight back into the charity to help us continue supporting the community and expanding what we can offer,” Ms Arnott said.
The Tuesday Feed events are run through and funded by the businesses behind the Roceels organisation, donations, and sponsorships.
The food is donated to the charity from supermarkets such as Woolworths and Aldi.
Ms Arnott said the food arrives on Monday, and is different each week, so the cafe needs to be creative with the meals it makes.
The food is usually fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled items and ingredients that need to be used quickly before they spoil.
“We usually prepare four large hot dishes, along with salads, soup and desserts every Tuesday for the community feed” Ms Arnott said.
“I always make sure the food tastes good – if I wouldn’t eat it myself, I won’t serve it to somebody else,” she said.
Homelessness is something that millions of people face each day, and while it is not always obvious, it can happen to anyone.
Ms Arnott said it was important to treat everyone with kindness.
“At the end of the day, it’s important not to judge a book by its cover. Everyone deserves compassion, dignity, and a warm meal without feeling judged,” Ms Arnott said.
All of the businesses are not only a way to help the unhoused community in Beenleigh, but they are also job opportunities for people living with a disability.
“At Roceels, we provide a safe and supportive environment where people with special needs are treated with compassion, patience, understanding and respect – just like everybody else.”
Ms Arnott, as someone who lives with disabilities herself, said she understood what it was like to work in an environment where people treat you differently.
“We understand that supporting people with special needs is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach, so we work alongside each person to support them in the best way we can,” Ms Arnott said.
Alongside the community support, Ms Arnott’s businesses also also offer breakfast, lunch, and catering services – and custom wedding and birthday cakes.
“We proudly give 30% off to pensioners and concession card holders because we believe good food should still be accessible to everyone. Our goal is to keep building bigger, better, and stronger so we can help more people in meaningful ways.”
Roceels is always looking for people to get involved in the charity through volunteering, donations and sponsorships.
“If you would like to volunteer, you can come in and see us to fill out a volunteer form or contact us by email at admin@roceels.com,” Ms Arnott said.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date with news from across Logan. You’ll receive a link to our digital newspaper direct to your inbox each week. It’s free.
