Catering social enterprise hits £55k crowdfunding goal to get permanent home

Catering social enterprise Fat Macy’s now have all the ingredients they need to open a new permanent home after reaching their £55,000 crowdfunding goal.

The firm currently cook up supper clubs which train young homeless Londoners in catering skills, allowing them to serve three-course meals while also rustling up grub for corporate events.

We’ll now be able to work towards our dream of opening our first permanent space for Fat Macy’s, and working to end the cycle of homelessness for young Londoners

All staff working with Fat Macy’s earn ‘credits’ which then go towards a housing deposit and a step-to-step programme that helps them to learn how to live independently.

The credits earned by volunteering with the firm sees staff becoming eligible for a housing deposit grant after 150 hours’ service, giving the 12-20 Londoners the firm are aiming to help initially the opportunity to move into their own flat.

Speechless… we raised £55,635! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all legends who donated 💗❤️💗 will be in touch with everyone ASAP pic.twitter.com/nDGopfJQ6G

— Fat Macy's (@fatmacys) October 16, 2017

Working at Fat Macy’s helps homeless people to get out of the catch-22 situation of living in temporary accommodation where the costs of rent can outstrip income and halt progression into permanent accommodation.

Now, they are planning to use the £55,635 cash injection from the crowdfunding campaign that they set up in August to create a permanent home.

Plans are in place for a new all-day restaurant based in Peckham in south-east London that will also have room for a training centre and community hub to allow the social enterprise to diversify their offerings.

Moving on from their Mexican, Jamaican and Middle-Eastern-themed events, the plan for the restaurant is to offer breakfast, coffee and lunch all day before turning into a bar in the evening with small tapas-style dishes.

Meg Doherty, Fat Macy’s founder, said: “We’re beyond thrilled at the level of support and enthusiasm there has been for our crowdfunding campaign, and cannot quite believe we’ve made our target!

“Thanks to every single person who supported us, donated and tweeted, we’ll now be able to work towards our dream of opening our first permanent space for Fat Macy’s, and working to end the cycle of homelessness for young Londoners.”

The SEUK Awards are just around the corner and you can help us by voting to pick the winner of the Consumer Facing Social Enterprise category.

Cast your vote by midnight on November 5 to see who walks away with the prize at the November 23 ceremony.