This Christmas time we wanted to ask you for your help. To do this we thought it might be helpful to tell you something of who we are. To give you an insight into the wonderful community of people who are found at Soul Food meals across the city of Edinburgh and Knightsridge, Livingston.
Simply put, Soul Food Edinburgh helps to provide hot, delicious, home-cooked meals whilst also offering some respite and support to anyone dealing with the challenges of homelessness, poverty, isolation and loneliness.
Our vision is centred around the power of the table. By setting a table and sharing a meal we hope to provide a context that offers a place of safety and security where people feel accepted, respected, valued, loved and heard. We hope that the ordinary setting of a dinner place becomes a space of life-changing relationship and community.
We are inspired by the word ‘hospitality’, which literally means, ‘for the love of a guest’. So, every Soul Food meal offers the warmest of welcomes to all people, whatever their situation. No referrals are needed, Soul Food is open to anyone in need of a free meal and a safe space to be. Recognising that a meal meets the immediate need of hunger but does not address the long-term challenges guests could be experiencing, we talk of being ‘more than a meal’. Through the offer of friendship and community, we offer specific support to individuals (anything from helping to open bank accounts, fill in forms, signposting to benefit and housing advice, referring to food and clothes banks, providing supermarket vouchers, gas and electricity top-ups, decorating flats and tech support, etc).
The values of generosity, safe spaces, treating people as equals, with kindness, dignity and respect are what drive us. We believe in collaboration with other organisations working in the areas of poverty. We offer a commitment to walk alongside anyone in need of support. We are a faith-based organisation, but not faith exclusive.
We believe passionately in beautiful spaces that hold long tables and delicious homemade food. Spaces where anyone who is hungry is fed, loved, supported, seen and heard. Spaces that whisper of hope, justice and transformation. Where there is always room for one more.
We are starkly aware though, that poverty is not beautiful. It is brutal and it is unjust. It is exhausting and it is painfully hard. Just this past week, I have spoken to numerous people who literally have nowhere to stay. There are no available beds in the city. If you walk along the city centre streets at night you will see people wrapped in sleeping bags or pitching tents. Others are sleeping in sheds, or sitting in coffee shops over one cup of coffee, or riding the night bus until they are asked to get off. One person that I spoke to, told me of how they are trying to earn a little money each day so that they can pay for a bed in a back packer’s hostel. They have recently been told though by a few hostels that they are unable to stay there, ‘as they don’t take homeless people.’
What are people supposed to do?
Where are they supposed to sleep?
Who will take them in?
Each week at Soul Food meals we make foodbank referrals. This can be quite stressful, as often the referral is denied because the person has already had 6 visits over the past year.
This can be devastating news to receive.
What are those people supposed to do? How are they meant to eat?
Even if the computer says ‘yes’ to a food bank referral, there can often be a week’s wait until someone is able to attend. We are always asked, “What do I do until then?”
How would you answer?
Many people talk of how they are only able to heat their homes for about 10 days each month. After that, there is simply no more money. That can then mean, not only are their flats cold, they also are unable to have showers, cook a hot meal or even watch the TV. We have tried to access fuel vouchers but are usually told that the person is unable to have any more as they have already had two or three.
What would you do?
Now, I have written very simplistically about deep rooted problems. What I have written is not all the story either. There are other places that we can refer folk to where they are trying to support people more holistically. Offering food, whilst also helping to make sure that people are receiving all the benefits that they are entitled to.
But this is another referral, another phone call, another meeting that they might have to wait for, another bus fare that they have to find, and it is really tough. Our greatest hope though, in everything, is that people feel just a little less alone. That at a Soul Food meal they receive some respite and encouragement as well as practical support.
As we head towards Christmas, each day, we will share some quotes made by real people who are part of Soul Food’s community. Whether volunteer or guest, they will be sharing something of the difference that Soul Food makes, why Soul Food important to them and something of who we are.
And this Christmas, we want to offer an invitation to you. Would you join the Soul Food community and help us to continue to provide beautiful, free, home-cooked meals and places of support to anyone experiencing homelessness, poverty, isolation or loneliness?
Could you give monthly to our work? £10 a month provides 3 Soul Food meals. So, £20 provides 6 Soul Food meals, £50 helps us to provide 16 meals etc. Monthly donations help us plan into the future and are an incredible support. Please click here.
Or could you give a one-off gift? Please click here.
Or how about for those of you who give charity gifts at Christmas time, could you give to the Soul Food Charity and in return we will hand write - on our beautiful Christmas cards - a note to the recipient of your choice. It will be gift wrapped and presented beautifully. Either sent to you to give to them yourself or directly to their address. Please click here.
There are other ways to give as well. Especially, volunteering your time. Soul Food would never happen without our amazing and dedicated volunteers. If interested, please contact me at jenny@soulfoodedinburgh.org
It is always humbling to ask for your help. However, this Christmas there is a huge amount of people who are finding things especially tough. It’s as if we are compelled to ask in order that we can support and walk with our Soul Food community more deeply, honestly and practically. Would you join us?
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