Lifeline profits from Garreffa’s life story

High-profile butcher and philanthropist Vince Garreffa will launch a new book next week, as part of his ongoing commitment to raise funds for suicide prevention charity Lifeline WA.

Renowned for his backyard brunch fundraiser, which started more than 20 years ago and in 2016 raised more than $500,000 for Lifeline, Mr Garreffa plans to further increase his support for the charity by donating most of the profits from his new book, The Flesh in My Life.

“I believe everyone has a story to tell but I didn’t want to make profits, I wanted to help the community,” Mr Garreffa told Business News.

“Anyone who reads my book will understand why I strive so hard to help others; it’s been a blessed life but it wasn’t easy at the start.”

Mr Garreffa has self-published 6,000 copies of his new release, which features his stories as a young immigrant as well as 60 recipes – one for every year he has lived in Australia.

Copies can be purchased for $50 from outlets including Boffins Books on William Street and the New Editions Bookshop in Fremantle, with some agreeing to lower their markup by 50 per cent or 100 per cent, all in support of Lifeline.

Several food businesses will also have copies of The Flesh in My Life, such as Mr Garreffa’s Mondo Butchers in Inglewood (see full list of outlets below). 

The official book launch will take place on February 8 at the Granite Room in Perth Arena, where additional donations can be made to Lifeline via book signings.

“People never used to talk about mental health, it was weak to admit it, but these days it’s wonderful because people talk about it,” he said.

“Everyone has their own burdens and we need to share them because we’re not alone.”

The book will also be stocked at the following outlets: 

• Lifeline head office, Aberdean Street
• The Good Store, Albany Highway
• Charlies Fresh Food Market, Morley
• Kakulas Sister Nollamara
• Kakulas Sister Fremantle 
• Re Store Northbridge
• Re Store Leaderville
• La Vigna, Menora
• Kappy's Restuarant, Guildford 
• Mondo Nougat, Herne Hill
• Italo Australian Welfare Association, Fitzgerald Street