StreetSmart Australia has kicked off its December campaign, marking the final year for DineSmart, the pioneering restaurant fundraiser that has raised over $4.4 million for homelessness services since 2003.
The campaign, which invites diners to add a voluntary $2 donation to their restaurant bills throughout December, has become a fixture in Australian hospitality over the past two decades. But after a comprehensive review of financials, partner retention, and shifts in the hospitality sector, StreetSmart leadership has decided to pause the program after this year’s “Final Service” campaign.
Alan White, CEO of StreetSmart Australia, said: “The hospitality landscape has changed dramatically, and our partners know that better than anyone – with some major partners stepping back from the campaign over the last few years.”
Since its launch with a handful of restaurants and a simple concept, DineSmart has partnered with more than 1,000 hospitality venues and funded 1,150 grassroots projects addressing homelessness across Australia.
$2 donation can change lives
The campaign was the brainchild of Adam Robinson, who founded StreetSmart 23 years ago on the premise that a $2 donation could change lives.
“DineSmart began with a simple idea that everyone can make a difference, even with spare change,” said Robinson, now Founder and Chief of Impact at StreetSmart Australia. “Seeing it grow across the hospitality sector for more than 20 years has been a privilege. The impact is enormous – thousands of grants, millions raised, and countless people supported. That legacy lives on through StreetSmart’s work every day, and we’ll carry the spirit of DineSmart forward into whatever comes next.”
White emphasised that the pause is strategic rather than permanent. “After 22 incredible years, this year’s DineSmart campaign will be both a celebration and a full stop, a way to honour the restaurants, chefs, and diners who have changed lives through their generosity,” he said.
Not the end of DineSmart
“This isn’t the end of DineSmart – it’s a pause. We want to take the time to work with our partners to reimagine what comes next for a new era of hospitality and charity, together in line with the development of our new strategic plan, and StreetSmart’s next era.”
While the current format of DineSmart will conclude, StreetSmart’s broader mission to support homeless Australians through community partnerships continues, with the organisation promising to carry forward the spirit of the campaign into whatever comes next.
