Services from Welcome Change Cafe and Community Centre in Birmingham

The services provided from the organisation are available from two different locations. The Welcome Change Café is where anyone from the city of Birmingham can drop in at to receive a low cost meal. The other option for families on a low income is the Community Centre, and this includes the charity shop as well as advice on benefits.

The locations of both of these are in Shard End, and the Welcome centre has been open for several years. The organisation does rely on the sale of goods from the charity shop to keep the programmes funded, and the staff include both volunteers as well as full time members.

The Welcome Change Cafe, which is on Ownall Road, sells low cost meals to anyone that needs help. The food provided is locally sourced from places in West Midlands, so the programme also supports the local community. Not only can clients get a hot breakfast or lunch, but staff will offer advice to clients. Or people can just drop in to relax.

Anyone facing hunger and that can’t afford a meal from the cafe can request a voucher for a local Birmingham food bank. This will allow the person to receive an emergency parcel of non-perishable or fresh fruits, and the contents can feed the family for up to three days. The voucher can be issued by the team at the Change Cafe. It will need to be used at a local Trussell Trust or independent food bank in the city.

For more information on how to get a meal from the Welcome cafe, or to volunteer to help the organisation, call 0121 749 570. The agency will help pay for expenses that are incurred by people who volunteer at the agency.

The Welcome charity shop is located at the Community Centre. Anyone from Birmingham or even the West Midlands are can drop in to use the centre. There are a wide variety of high quality goods for sale, including clothes, household goods, books, bedding, furniture, PE kits for school, and more. Using the charity shop will help families save their money so they can then use those funds for other living expenses or bills they have.

Donations are also needed by the Shard End based shop. Anything will be cleaned up by volunteers. The items will then be resold, and the money raised will go to help the vulnerable with everything from food needs to household goods. There are also school supplies for students as well as children. It also pays for the Welcome advice service. Or find other free school uniforms.

Not only that, but the shop will help people by offering them work. There is experience placements as well as volunteering opportunities, which can lead to the person getting new skills.

Anyone that drops in at the Welcome Community Centre or Cafe can get advice on benefits as well. This is provided by caring staff that listen to the needs of the client and try to refer them to both government and not-for profit agencies that are located in the West Midlands. Depending on what the need is, people can learn about programmes such as welfare or how to get school meals for their children. Advice is also provided for many other needs.

All of the programmes provided by Welcome, whether the Change Café or Community Centre, or located at Ownall Road in Shard End. Residents of the area can call 0121 749 5702 for more information as well.