For over ten years, Brixton Soup Kitchen has been a lifeline for the community, providing
comfort through “hearty meals” and keeping an “open door for all”. Solomon Smith, the founder of Brixton Soup Kitchen, committed his life to helping feed Brixton residents back in January 2013. He has since expanded his services to wider communities within London as well as cities outside of London including places like Nottingham and other areas.
Solomon shares a decade-long journey dedicated to serving those in need and what inspires him to continue helping others.
He talks about how being raised in Brixton and seeing the effects of homelessness in his community paired with his own childhood experiences served as a major motivator for creating this organisation. He says: “ The Inspiration for me was growing up in Brixton, and seeing a lot of homelessness. I didn’t go through homelessness, personally. But I’ve known a lot of and helped a lot of people that were homeless, and giving them advice and seeing them go from being homeless to actually being in a very good job… once I realised I can help people through that, I’m thinking, I can help thousands of people.
Solomon speaks about the diverse spectrum of individuals the kitchen embraces. He says: “Homelessness is way much more than rough sleepers, It could be sofa surfers. It could be a lot of people having problems at home. It could be loneliness, you know. So the issue is, wide. And that is why we’re kind of more focused on more of an open door policy instead of, you know, identifying who’s homeless, right”.
A distinctive feature of Brixton Soup Kitchen is their community driven approach as a grassroots organisation. Solomon talks about the soup kitchen’s reliance on donations due to the limitations that come with government funding. He says, “We don’t get government funding because there are stipulations… Our doors are open, and government funders try to change that”. This choice, though challenging, reflects the organisation’s commitment to inclusivity and prioritising community support.
Solomon wants the people to know that Brixton soup Kitchen is a place that “welcomes everyone regardless of race, religion and sexuality” and that “if you’re in need, our doors are open”.
Brixton Soup Kitchen is a hub for compassion, offering not only sustenance but also clothing and a sense of belonging.
They continue to enrich the lives of thousands of people and serve as a reminder to us that everyone deserves to be cared for.
You can find out more about this organisation by following @brixtonsoupkitchen on Instagram, twitter and facebook or via their website brixtonsoupkitchen.org.
