Welcome to the Magpie Nest Cafe a place for those that society often overlooks.

At the top end of Melbourne’s bustling CBD at 69 Bourke Street – where busy office workers rush by without a glance at the crowd waiting around the streets for the 9am breakfast service to begin – is a cafe that offers something far greater than food and shelter.

It’s a place for warmth, dignity and connection.

The Magpie Nest Cafe is operated by the Salvation Army (Project 614), with the support of the Collingwood Football Club Community Foundation, and is a first point of call for many of Melbourne’s homeless, providing free breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as support to people from all walks of life.

The cafe's staff are comprised of volunteers and community members who are passionate about addressing homelessness across Victoria.

Collingwood players and staff regularly roll up their sleeves inside the cafe’s four walls, taking on all kinds of volunteer roles. 



With notepad and pen in hand, Lachie Sullivan, Harry DeMattia and Tew Jiath take the orders of the patrons. The first question they ask – even before ‘what would you like to order’ - is ‘what is your name?

It’s all about the personal touches.

The order then goes to Ed Allan and Charlie Dean behind the counter. They’re in charge of ensuring the tea and coffee station is well stocked and the water jugs filled.

“It gives us a bit of an insight into how fortunate we are to be in this position to help others,” Dean says.

“And also, just how many great people there are helping out at places like these.”

Dean and Allan pass on the order dockets to the kitchen, where Ned Long, Wil Parker and Josh Daicos are ready to prepare breakfast.

Daicos is on toast duty, while Parker and Long are in charge of getting the bowls of porridge and cereal on the tray.

Then, Dean and Allan hand the full trays to the runners, Will Hayes, Charlie West and Joel Cochran, who deliver them with a smile and a personalised warm greeting.

But there’s one more duty left – the short straw if you will.

Before service, cafe manager Matthew Daniels assigns each player to a station.

With red rubber gloves and an apron to don, it’s young ruck Oscar Steene who is officially on dish duty.

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Oscar Steene is told by Magpie Nest Cafe manager Matt Daniels of his back of house kitchen duties.

 

“Being a part of Collingwood, you realise Collingwood is so much more than just the colours, or what happens on the footy field,” Dean continued.

“It’s an opportunity for a cohort of people who get dehumanised by so much of society to have a really humanised experience,” Collingwood midfielder Brit Bonnici said, reflecting on why spaces like this matter.

Bonnici, a regular volunteer at the Magpie Nest Cafe knows firsthand the impact a place like this has on the wider community.

“The Magpie Nest is not just a tick box organisation, it’s helping people despite what they have going on,” she said back in 2023.

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Within the four walls of the cafe, the incredibly empathetic staff and volunteers do more than serve 3,000 meals per week, but also provide clothing, shower facilities, a warm space and more.

Much more.

It’s a place designed to meet not just physical needs, but human ones too.

The Magpie Nest Cafe connects its visitors to wrap around services from the NDIS, GP and optometry services, Diabetes Australia, Hearing Australia, Centrelink, Legal Aid and more.

Every gesture counts. Whether it’s volunteering your time, donating clothes or money, or simply sharing kindness.

As the Collingwood team discovered, the impact goes both ways.

Anything given here is deeply appreciated. Not only by those receiving help, but by everyone who gets to be part of it.

“To be a small part of these guys’ lives, to give them a smile, to give them a feed — if we can play a part in that, then why not?” Bonnici continued. 

Last year, the Magpie Nest Cafe provided over 104,000 meals to people across our community – enough to fill the MCG.

For only $5, you can help provide a meal for someone who can’t afford it themselves. Together, we can continue make a difference. One meal at a time. 

Meals that make a difference. Donate a meal today.