Drink For Charity At Australia's Nonprofit Bar

The fastest way to make charity fun is to get alcohol involved, and an Australian entrepreneur has figured out a way for people to do good while doing something they would want to do anyways – drinking.

Shebeen, a new bar in Melbourne, is one of the world's few nonprofit bars. According to Co.Exist, the bar stocks beer, wine, and cider from 10 different countries, and all profits go to charity. Beneficiaries include AIDS group Mothers2Mothers; Vision Spring, which donates eyeglasses in India; and Room to Read from San Francisco. 

In the eight weeks since it opened, Shebeen has been successful enough that owner and philanthropist Simon Griffiths says they've been having trouble keeping their libations in stock.

"The bar has been really popular which means that we're already profitable, but constantly facing supply problems. We have drunk Australia out of its Ethiopian, Kenyan, and Laotian beers," said Griffiths

Griffiths said he expects to be able to donate $200,000 in the first year, and $800,000 over three. Assuming all continues to go well, he intends to branch out from Melbourne and open more nonprofit bars in other cities as well.