Who cares? We do.
Why building a culture of care is more important than ever — and how Coexist Community Kitchen is putting care into action.
Written by Ari Cantwell, Managing Director of Coexist Community KitchenWhen we look around at our world, our communities and our homes — the places where we see people and all non-human beings thriving — care is always at the centre. Care comes in many forms: families nurturing children; neighbours sharing their lives; growers tending to the earth; carers supporting people to lead dignified lives. Care comes in many forms: families nurturing children; neighbours sharing their lives; growers tending to the earth; carers supporting people to lead dignified lives. It is cups of tea shared with friends and strangers, loving words spoken in times of hardship, courageous feedback when we know things need to change, as well as gentle hugs, listening ears and loving eyes.
When we care, and when we feel cared for, we are so much more emboldened to ask for what we and our communities need. We can stand up to injustice because we know someone has our back and, most importantly, we feel resourced to care for others. This is a bright, bright world. So why is it that care is so often undervalued, unseen, expected but not acknowledged — and all too often unpaid?
The horror unfolding on the global stage demonstrates the deep lack of care threaded through international politics. In the face of exploitation, genocide and environmental destruction, even this feels like a gross understatement. However, on a more localised level, we also need to recognise that this lack of care is something we can all internalise by mistake. The urgency that comes with living in a burning world can manifest as a lack of care within activism, social change movements and our interpersonal relationships.
Taking the time, space and energy to love and care does not fit neatly into the capitalist model we live under. Care reproduces without financial gain and therefore often goes uncelebrated. Here at Coexist Community Kitchen, we have been reflecting on — and acting upon — how we can centralise care, deeply embed it within our organisation and place it at the forefront of how we operate.
Who cares? We do.
Sometimes, when I think about making a statement like that, I feel a little cringey. Words like “love” and “care” can become overused when we talk about a better world. Their overuse can dull their importance, making the impact of these ideas feel less potent. But I have to challenge myself in this, because I cannot think of anything I believe in more deeply: a world where people feel loved, cared for and nourished is a world where so many of us want to be.
Here at Coexist, every day we are making our kitchen a space where people can both receive care and show care for themselves and others. We run cookery classes and education and training programmes; we cater for funerals, weddings and birthdays. But let me tell you a secret: these are simply our ways of surreptitiously sending out and bringing in care.
We want every single person who walks through our doors — who volunteers with us, cooks in the kitchen or eats our food — to feel welcome, at home and cared for. We know the power of care. We know that belonging and feeling at home is not only a place to begin from, but also somewhere to return to. Anyone who has known love and safety understands that this is the bedrock from which we move through the world. They know they have the resources to love and care for others, and they know the joy this can bring.
We also know that many people who come through our doors are searching for this kind of care. But we know, too, that care must be rooted in equity. It is about platforming one another; it is not about donors and beneficiaries. Through every cup of tea and every meal we cook, we see that when people feel valued and seen, they are able to proverbially make tea for themselves and for others. The beautiful thing about this kind of exchange is that, when it feels joyful and loving, it becomes energising and nourishing rather than depleting.
Migrateful students' graduation photos at Coexist Community Kitchen
2025 was a really difficult year for our project. After years of increased costs, competitive funding environments and growing demand on the third sector, we almost had to close our doors twice. These were frightening times, and not ones we publicised widely, because we did not want to shake the foundations of a place we know so many people rely on — and because we were nowhere near giving up.
Not only have we come through the other side, we have burst through it stronger, smarter and braced for whatever challenge inevitably comes next. We pulled together as a team and as a community to weather one hell of a storm — something I truly believe was only possible because each and every one of us cared. It was hard work, and at times it was tough, but we also learned so much and felt an enormous amount of love and support from the people, organisations and businesses that believe in the power of places like Coexist Community Kitchen.
This year finds us with a renewed fire and commitment to making our space somewhere more people can build a sense of home, feel connected and stand in their dignity. We want care to have a seat at the table. Actually, more than that — we want the seat, the table, the people and the food to be made of care; to be powered by care.
What could be more revolutionary than that. Want to come with us?