Mike and Gillian Foster open Hope House Espresso at Alexandra Headland

A Sunshine Coast coffee-brewing couple’s idea for a not-for-profit speciality coffee shop has evolved into a “community project” to support struggling women and families.

A specialty coffee shop, built with a desire to “bring hope” into the lives of struggling women has opened at Alexandra Headland.

Mike and Gillian Foster established the not-for-profit Hope House Espresso cafe to provide emergency meals, care packages, counselling services and more to women in crisis.

The idea emerged about a year ago as the couple, after living on the coast for 40 years, observed inflation and cost-of-living driving now middle-aged women into homeless and financial difficulties.

Mr Foster said he was surprised to find many middle-class people in fear of sleeping in their vans or going to charities to buy groceries.

“This isn’t the Sunshine Coast it used to be,” Mr Foster said.

“We’re seeing hopelessness more than ever in our local community and we believe Hope House can be a gamechanger in bringing hope back into people’s lives.”

Mike and Gillian Foster have opened Hope House Espresso after eight years of running their existing business Milk and Beans Coffee House next door.

The couple has already owned a “community-minded business” next door for eight years – the Milk and Beans Coffee House always donated 20 cents from each cup of coffee to support a cause.

The building formerly housed Attic Cafe which was closed in 2022 after 17 years.

Former Attic Cafe owner Ian Masterman sold his business in fear of pandemic restrictions returning to form greater challenges.

When the Foster couple saw the space was being sold last July, a “generous donor” bought it on their behalf, Mr Foster said.

Mr Foster said charity drop-in centres offering coffee are not well-resourced and are often “not a beautiful space [like] a business could be.”

“Why not combine the best of both worlds and have a top-end espresso specialty coffee,” he said.

The couple hope the coffee shop will one day be an award-winning not-for-profit business.

Their dream for the establishment is to be an award-winning not-for-profit business someday.

“We want people to think charity can actually bring an excellence in the products they bring to the community as well,” Mr Foster said.

Upstairs lies a room to offer job and budget training, counselling or even a space to make a friend, overseen by a team of about 30 volunteers.

Mr Foster said he hoped to partner with other not-for-profit organisations in the region to create a “community support hub.”

A group of volunteers run support programs and training for women upstairs above the coffee shop.

Hope House Espresso is holding a launch party on May 27 from 3.30pm in the shop space with live music, food, free activities and more to "bless the community" and spread the word.

The modern, pink-themed coffee house was built on 80 per cent donated labour, Mr Foster said.

Tilers, spraypainters, electricians and other tradesman caught wind of the project and offered their time and materials.

“It’s just been an amazing community project,” Mr Foster said

“We know we can’t do this alone, and to see the support in the building process gives us confidence.”