What if your end of year celebration with friends or work Christmas party could help end homelessness, give hope and employ a person with a disability or fund unique social projects across our state?  Well guess what – it can!  Check out these ten venues with a difference in South East Queensland, and make sure this Christmas season (or any time really) you party with a purpose! 

Common Ground, Hope Street West End
Address: 15 Hope Street West End
What is available? This centrally located rooftop function space offers magnificent views of Brisbane city. It is ideal for events of all types, including dinners, workshops and meetings, which can be serviced by the adjoining commerical kitchen. The room can accommodate 100 people standing or 70 people seated. Check out the venue brochure here.
Cause: owned and operated by not for profit organisation Common Ground Queensland, all profits go to ending homelessness in Brisbane, by increasing the supply of supportive housing to meet the growing needs of individuals and families who are at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, or who suffer from a disability, including mental health and addiction.
Contact details: visit the Common Ground Queensland website or call (07) 3370 8320

The Garden’s Club in the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens
Address: 75 Gardens Point Road, in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens behind QUT Theatre and close to the River Stage.
What is available? The Gardens Club is a recently restored, heritage listed Curators Cottage inside the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. It is a cafe and event space. The main building has been converted into a unique venue to hold social events, weddings, private events or even your next business meeting. The Gardens Club can accommodate up to 150 for cocktail or 80 people for private sit down dinners.
Cause: The Gardens Club is a social enterprise established by the Wise Foundation in and 100% of profits go to funding social and charitable initiatives.
Contact details: make an enquiry online or call (07) 3012 9606

The Edge at the State Library of Queensland, South Bank
Address: Stanley Place, Cultural Centre, South Bank
What is available? An auditorium suited to conferences, multimedia performance, music, film screenings and presentations, innovation lab, river terrace and much more.  Take a look at all of the spaces for hire here.
Cause: all funds go to empowering Queenslanders to explore creativity across art, science, technology, and enterprise, The Edge is a visionary space for ‘creating creatives’; a melting pot of ideas and innovation, capacity-building, experimentation and innovation.
Contact details: call 07 3842 9400, email or visit the website.

Muooz – in West End
Address: 54 Mollison Street, West End
What is available? Muooz offer exclusive North-East African cuisine using local and imported African ingredients while providing exceptional quality service. With the hosting capacity of 70 seats we can accommodate large events on request.  Take away and catering available.
Cause: Muooz is an african not for profit restaurant who provide work experience, training and employment opportunities to African refugees.
Contact details: Phone 07 3844 8378, email or visit the Muooz website.

Melting Pot – Newmarket
Address: Within the International Community Church, 23 Foster Street, Newmarket
What is available? Melting Pot Restaurant offers the best of traditional Malaysian cuisine and superb Asian-fusion cuisineperfect for lunches, dinners, birthday celebrations, corporate or business events, wedding, baby showers, reunions, anniversaries and other occasions. Closed Mondays.
Cause: All profits are directed to support orphanages in India and Nepal
Contact details: call 07 3175 0690, email, visit website or check out on facebook

Cookery Nook in Wooloowin
Address: 12 Chalk Street, Wooloowin
What is available? The Cookery Nook is a professional and quality catering service to metropolitan Brisbane region, and fully equipped conference centre in Wooloowin.
Cause: for over 20 years, The Cookery Nook has been providing meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, who might not otherwise be engaged in paid employment.
Contact details: Phone 07 3866 4201, email Leonie, or visit the website.

Expresso Train in Nundah
Address: 46 Station Street, Nundah (on the north side of Brisbane)
What is available? Expresso Train is a social enterprise and full service cafe and catering company. They use local suppliers and source seasonal ingredients that meet their sustainability principles such as organic and free-range produce. Food is made in-house, with no nasty additives or surprises. Take a look at their catering menu.
Cause: Espresso Train is an initiative of the Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative (NCEC). Our motto “We don’t employ people to cater; we cater so we can employ people” encapsulates our misison of providing meaningful employment for people with a disability.
Contact details: 07 3260 7414, visit the Expresso Train website or place order online.

Lagoon Creek Cafe and Function Centre in Caboolture
Address: 1-11 Toovey Street Caboolture
What is available? Lagoon Creek Cafe and Function Centre provides fresh healthy food via a cafe, catering, meeting room for hire, functions and lunch run. Check out the facilities here.
Cause: Lagoon Creek Cafe and Function Centre is a social enterprise employing people with a disability and/or mental illness who live in Caboolture.
Contact: Phone 07 54324855, email,  or visit the Lagoon Creek Cafe and Function Centre website.

Or if you want an award winning social enterprise catering company to cater at your next event:

The Ja Joint – Brisbane based catering company and online shop
Address: Wandering Cooks, 1 Fish Lane, South Brisbane
What is available? Award winning Jamaican food products and catering that is offbeat, personable and truly authentic Jamaican style.  They use two 65 gallon meat smokers that add a great entertainment flare to any event.
Cause: providing real employment opportunities to inexperienced marginalised multicultural youth and refugees in Brisbane. Read founder Carly Day’s blog here.
Contact: eat@thejajoint.com.au or phone: 0450 783 952 or website.

Or if you want to just meet a friend for an end of year coffee / drink, check these awesome social enterprise coffee houses in Brisbane,  Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast: 

BAM Expresso in West End  
Address: 51 Mollison Street, West End
What is available? This is the perfect spot to catch up with a friend or two for a morning coffee.
Cause: Espresso bar that channels all profits into helping Brisbane’s homeless community. Home of Pay A Sack Forward.
Contact details: check out the BAM Expresso facebook page

Coffee United Social Enterprise Cafe (Sunshine Coast)
Address: 1/27 Evans Street, Maroochydore (and recently launched in Tewantin)
What is available? Sells great coffee (9.4 rating from Bean Hunter), provides catering and recently opened a well appointed training/meeting room for hire.
Cause: provides supported work experience, training and paid employment to young people on the Sunshine Coast.
Contact details: Ph: 07 5409 4976, on facebook, located within the Headspace Maroochydore building – visit the United Synergies website for more info.

Buttons and Beans Cafe – Southport on the Gold Coast
Address: 20 Railway Street, Southport
What is available? Op Shop and coffee house – the perfect place on the Gold Coast to catch up with a girlfriend and find an op shop bargain!
Cause: FSG Australia (FSGA) is a for-purpose community organisation and centre for social enterprise offering a wide range of innovative services in disability, mental health, aged care, family and children’s services. FSGA operates other social enterprise initiatives including an Op Shop, Nursery, Coworking Space and Green Shop.
Contact: info@fsg.org.au, phone 07 55640655 or visit the website

Did I miss your favourite social enterprise restaurant, cafe or venue?  Please leave me a comment, as I would LOVE to add them to the list!  

Thanks very much for reading! Cheers, Tara