A caf owner has been serving up meals at a homeless hostel and is encouraging more businesses to donate unwanted food.
Joe Prystupa, of the Hot Spot Caf, has been taking meals, often stovies and hot desserts, to the Dundee Survival Group every month.
He said he started donating leftover rolls and was shocked to discover the local homeless hostel did not get more support from local businesses.
Joe said: “I got involved purely by chance. When I first started up I had to put in a minimum order for rolls and I couldn’t sell enough.
“Instead of throwing them out, I contacted the local homeless unit and got speaking to two of the women in charge. I thought they would get loads of donations and was surprised to hear that they didn’t.”
Joe and his partner Natasha Shek prepare meals in their Dura Street premises, which has only been open three months, then take them down on the last Friday of every month.
A typical main meal will be stovies, which is very popular, and the couple also make up hot desserts like cake and custard.
Joe said: “They haven’t got any money so meals can be few and far between. When we first started we wanted to be a bit adventurous but they just want really plain food.”
The Dundee Survival Group has 34 service users over two buildings. Currently Joe says around 20 people come along to eat his prepared meals but he would like to be able to cater for even greater numbers.
A spokeswoman for the Dundee Survival Group said the monthly meals were going really well and proving popular with the service users.
She said: “We haven’t had anyone like this come in and provide free meals for as long as I can remember. Joe and Natasha are lovely people.
“The service users enjoy and look forward to them coming in and they provide a variety of food,” the spokeswoman explained.
“It is a very welcome service which is appreciated by the users and if it can grow that would be brilliant.”
Having previously worked for a supermarket, Joe said he was always amazed at how much good food is wasted because it has to be thrown out at the end of the day.
He would like to start making the trip a bi-monthly event and would welcome any donations from other businesses who can contact him at the caf 520941.
Donations of not just food are always welcome at the Dundee Survival Group which is currently preparing to hold a bric-a-brac sale next month.