The joint initiative between Ciao Cafe and Cakes and Richmond PRA allows residents to purchase a coffee, sandwich or cake that will be donated or 'redeemed' by others struggling in the community.

Richmond PRA team leader Liz Webb said she hoped the community would support and use the project.

"You could help someone in need right now with very little effort but it will have a massive impact on someone else's life as well as your own," she said.

"'Suspended cofffee' is an advance purchse for someone who needs it."

Ms Webb approached several cafes in town but said Ciao Cafe and Cakes was the only one willing to commit to the project.

"I went to a few different coffee shops in Queanbeyan and they all said 'no' except for Ciao. Some cafes were reluctant because they were new to town or worried about the logistics of the project while others said they already had a similar system in place," she said.

"Ciao Coffee and Cakes is ideal because it's open early and late night as well as weekends. It also has a prime location on Crawford and is right across from Centrelink."

Ms Webb said the concept has been implemented across the border but she wanted to bring it closer to home.

"Queanbeyan is a wonderful, tight knit community," she said.

"I thought this was a really great idea and way to help homeless people. You often see people sitting on the ground and wanting money but anyone can actually go to the coffee shop and buy one coffee for themselves and a 'suspended' coffee to help someone else. It's such an easy way to help the community, buy an extra coffee when you get your own."

Owner of Ciao Cafe and Cakes Ab Guleria said he thought "suspended coffee" was a great idea and hoped those supporting and using the service would increase as word spreads.

"It's a fantastic idea, we jumped on board straight away. We've already started collecting 'suspended coffees', no one has used the service yet but the coffees are accumulating," he said.

"If we spot someone in need or have someone walk-in of course we'll help them out with a coffee, cake or sandwich. Hopefully as more people learn about it, more people will use the service."

Support, donate or utilise the "Suspended Coffee" service by visiting Ciao Cafe and Cakes at 200 Crawford St, Queanbeyan. It is open seven days a week.