Together, through coffee, we can make a difference.
We take our responsibilities as an ethical coffee roastery very seriously, because the coffee you chose to drink every day can have real impact on local and global communities.
"Choices are important parts of all of our worlds. In a cafe you hear it every day - do you want a single shot or double, do you want oat milk or dairy? Volcano has to make important decisions about which suppliers they want to work with. But Crisis works with people who don't have the privilege of choice, and who are being forced to chose whether they pay their rent or feed their children..."
Charlie Atkinson
We invited Charlie Atkinson from Crisis and Volcano's Head of Product Nick Mabey to our inaugural 'Coffee That Matters' event, to tell us about how Crisis Coffee supports people out of homelessness in the UK, and how Volcano Coffee Works' ethical trading principles supports global farming communities.
Crisis is the national charity for homeless people, set up 15 years ago to end homelessness in the UK. Crisis helps over 11,000 people out of homelessness each year, and campaigns for the changes needed to end it altogether. 15% of every sale of Crisis Coffee is donated to the charity.
Crisis works hands-on with people experiencing homelessness around the UK every day, in addition to funding ground-breaking research into the causes of and solutions to homelessness, and lobbying the government to make changes in policy around homelessness.
Crisis has worked with Volcano since October 2018, when we launched Crisis Coffee together. This partnership gives the charity's café’s trainees, some of whom have never drank coffee before, the opportunity to work with an exceptional product that also has strong ethical legs. Crisis are proud to work with homeless people with Crisis Coffee in their cafes around the UK, where you can buy a cup or buy a bag to drink at home.
Charlie is the Café Manager of Crisis’ flagship Café for Crisis training café in Spitalfields, which is also open to the public. The café runs a 12-week training programme in kitchen craft, front-of-house and barista skills. Through technical training the members can gain qualifications and confidence in a public facing environment where they are supported on their journey out of homelessness.
Charlie recommended two simple things you can do today to help Crisis end homelessness in the UK:
1. Buy Crisis Coffee and visit your local Café from Crisis
There are three training cafes in London, Oxford and Newcastle, as well as seven charity shops around the UK (three with additional coffee bars).
"One of the things I love seeing is a trainee pouring their first latte art heart, presenting it to a customer and seeing that customer smile - it gives an instant feeling of value to a trainee whose self-esteem may be at rock bottom... Being able to provide this service gives trainees a kudos and status in the local community, as well as an immediate sense of gratification."
Charlie Atkinson
2. With your support Crisis can change laws around homelessness
Crisis is calling on government to stop more people becoming homeless by ensuring Local Housing Allowance will #CoverTheCost of rents. It only takes a moment to add your support
"Over the past few years the social safety net that protects the most vulnerable in our society has eroded... The sustainable solution is to build more social housing and properly regulate the private rental sector, which Crisis is working on... Crisis has changed the law two times already and we know we can do it again."
Charlie Atkinson
