A New Home for Vital Services, Support, and Belonging
We are a grassroots charity based in Hackney, working to support members of our community facing poverty, food insecurity, and marginalisation. We’re fundraising to create a Community Café – a welcoming, inclusive space where we can run our vital services more effectively and provide a sanctuary that local people can truly call their own.
But we can’t do it without you.
Why Hackney Needs a Community Café
Across Hackney, community centres are disappearing due to funding cuts. This has left a significant gap in both service provision and communal spaces where people can support one another and build relationships.
At the same time, the cost-of-living crisis continues to take its toll. Cuts to essential support – like the winter fuel allowance and the two-child benefit cap – have made life even harder for vulnerable groups, including the elderly and families with young children.
Our Community Café will fill this gap by:
- Operating as a Food Hub: Distributing food and essential items to those facing food insecurity, including nutritious meals cooked onsite.
- Supporting Children and Young People: Hosting our popular after-school programs – Jumping Beans (ages 5-11) and Young Ambassadors (ages 12- 18) – ensuring our young people are safe, well-fed, and supported outside school hours.
- Creating a Space for Vulnerable Groups: Hosting events tailored to support specific groups, such as refugees, elderly people facing isolation and economic hardship, and new parents.
More Than Just a Café
This café is about more than just a space to run services. It’s about creating a place where Hackney residents, no matter their background or circumstances, can feel at home.
We dream of a space where people can:
- Socialise, make friends, and support one another.
- Take part in activities and learn new skills.
- Access essential support and services without stigma.
- Build connections that combat loneliness and foster community cohesion.
Community spaces like this are more essential than ever – but they are sorely missing in our cities today. With your help, we can create something that changes lives and brings people from our diverse community together.
Who We Are
At the heart of Children With Voices is Michelle Dornelly, a local Hackney mother and a true force of nature. Michelle was inspired to act after witnessing firsthand the devastating effects of poverty, gang violence, police harassment, malnutrition, and ‘holiday hunger.’ These experiences resonate with many in Hackney, where 36% of residents live in poverty – the third-highest rate in London.
Since founding Children With Voices, Michelle’s work has been featured in The Guardian and the documentary Changemakers on Paramount +, and in 2022 she received the Mirror’s Pride of Britain Award.
We’re dedicated to supporting Hackney residents by:
- Operating community food hubs across five locations in Hackney.
- Providing affordable childcare.
- Offering mentoring, workshops, and emotional support for families and children.
- Breaking down barriers of prejudice, fear and misunderstanding.
Why We’re Raising Funds
As a volunteer-driven organisation, we’ve always operated on a shoestring budget, powered by donations and grants – and on the back of an enormous amount of unpaid volunteer labour. However, the cost-of-living crisis has made it harder than ever to secure funding.
That’s why we’re reaching out to our community, and amazing supporters across the country, to help us bring this dream to life.
What Your Donations Will Fund
1. Securing a Space:
Although we currently operate out of a small building on Fawcett Estate (secured following a successful fundraising effort), this building does not have the facilities for large-scale cooking or group activities.
We’re looking for a building with a large kitchen and a generous social area to prepare meals and host activities and events. This space will allow us to:
- Support people without cooking facilities, like refugees and the homeless.
- Provide a safe space for our youth programs.
- Provide users of our Food Hub with nutritious home cooked meals.
2. Staffing and Operations:
We need to hire essential staff, including:
- A building manager.
- A Youth Worker to oversee our children’s programs.
- A community chef to prepare meals.
We also want to offer our founder, Michelle, a full-time salaried position so she can continue leading this important work.
3. Keeping the Lights On:
Cover utility bills, van costs, volunteer expenses, and other core costs so we can focus on serving our community.
Why This is So Important
Hackney needs a lifeline. Austerity policies and the cost-of-living crisis has left many struggling to afford even basic necessities like food and toiletries. Children lack safe spaces to thrive outside of school, while elderly residents and refugees face severe social isolation and food insecurity – challenges that have only been worsened by the pandemic.
This isn’t just about survival. It’s about dignity, safety, and belonging. Our Community Café will be a haven where people who are struggling can access the support they need – while being met with respect, meaningful connection, and a sense of belonging.
Join Us in Making This Dream a Reality
This café is more than a building – it’s a symbol of hope, resilience, and the strength in our community.
Together, we can create something extraordinary: a Community Café that brings Hackney together, supports those in need, and fosters a spirit of togetherness.
A vibrant, united community needs a place to call its own—a place where everyone feels welcome. This is what we are striving to create, and the impact of your support will ripple through the entire community, helping us strengthen bonds and nurture the next generation.
Please donate today and help us change lives in Hackney.
Every pound makes a difference. Together, we can turn this vision into a reality.
Organizer
CHILDREN WITH VOICES
Beneficiary