Written by Vegetarian Star on Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 in Business, Female Musicians, Female Singers, Food & Drink, Restaurants.
Missy Higgins has voiced support for Lentil As Anything, a pay by donation restaurant in Australia that provides job training and employment for refugees and homeless people at four sites in Melbourne.
According to The Age, the organization’s lease is set to expire at the end of this year and hints that higher rent tenants might replace it at its Abbotsford Convent site have been given.
The site employs 60 people and serves more than 500 vegetarian meals a day.
Vegetarian and activist Higgins said that as a “Melbourne institution” it bought a much-needed sense of culture and community to the convent.”
Convent Bakery owner and coalition member Arnold Salinas said that although his lease is good until 2016, whatever happens to Lentil as Anything could set an precedent for other businesses to come as the center is turned into a “shopping mall” atmosphere.
“Their driving force is not going to be any community spirit, it’s just going to be based on how much money can they really get out of their business,” he said.
Abbotsford Convent Foundation chief executive Maggie Maguire said the board is currently considering all options and that it has upheld the original vision for Abbotsford Convent, which was for an arts, culture and education precinct.
And although ACF’s budget is derived from leases and other events at the center “making a profit is never, ever a priority above our community,” Ms Maguire said.
Getting rid of healthy, good food and a place to restart for the less fortunate is never good for the community.
Hope the ACF and its tenants can come to agreement that benefits all.
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