A place where nobody feels they have to face hardship alone

Every Monday morning, we open our doors at Southgate Mosque Food Bank.

Around 200 families walk through it each week. They come for food, but food is rarely the real reason they need us. Behind every visit is a different story. Rising living costs, debt, poor health, loneliness, family pressures, unemployment or simply feeling like there is nobody to turn to.

People often describe us as a food bank.

We see ourselves as something more.

We call ourselves The Kindness Bank because food is simply the way we begin a conversation. A food parcel might help someone today, but kindness, practical support and genuine human connection can help change tomorrow.

Since opening in 2022, we have welcomed more than 800 households from over 60 nationalities. Around two thirds of the people who use our service are not Muslim. Everyone is welcome because hardship affects every community.

Every week without fail, we provide food, fresh fruit and vegetables, household essentials and toiletries. Guests are also invited to stay for a free café where they can sit down, have a cup of tea and talk to someone who cares.

Last year we took another important step by launching our Advice and Support Service. We now help people with benefits, housing, employment, debt, family issues and many of the challenges that sit behind food insecurity. Our aim is not simply to help people through this week, but to help them find greater stability in the months and years ahead.

Our vision is simple.

We want to create a place where nobody feels they have to face hardship alone.

A place where people find practical help, friendship, dignity and hope. A place where local organisations work together, where volunteers discover purpose and where communities become stronger because people look after one another.

Demand for our service continues to grow, but funding is becoming harder to secure. We want to keep building what we have started rather than scaling back when our community needs us most.

Your donation will help us continue providing food, advice, support and a welcoming space for anyone facing difficult times. It will help us invest in people, strengthen our volunteer team and build a service that supports families long after they have left with their food parcel.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

"The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people."

If our vision speaks to you, we would be honoured if you became part of it. Every donation, whatever the amount, helps us move one step closer to creating a place where nobody has to face hardship alone.

Thank you for supporting The Kindness Bank.

Charity registration number: 1201327