About Us

The Whitefield Charity SK Corporation is a busy and well-supported independent charity in London, providing critical support to an extraordinary number of homeless and vulnerable people.

Located inside the American International Church on Tottenham Court Road, we are a secular organisation regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Supported by a dedicated core team and numerous yearly volunteers, our project in London delivers healthy meals, unparalleled mental health assistance, clothing, and companionship to those experiencing homelessness, elderly individuals and the vulnerable.

We maintain robust management processes and systems, operating with minimal overhead and administration costs. The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of individuals with extensive backgrounds in business, finance, and science.

Our Team

Alexander Brown

Director

Alex has been with the charity since 2015 and is responsible for the organisation’s day-to-day operation with specific oversight in fundraising, corporate partner relations and regulatory governance. He says that leading a charitable organisation and working with the homeless and vulnerable has been a life-changing experience for him. Alex believes that we all have a responsibility to make a conscious and consistent effort to help those less fortunate in society.

In 2017, he led the successful effort to open Europe’s first-ever mental health drop-in clinic within a soup kitchen. Alex is one of the founders of Home Kitchen Restaurant Group, which employs and upskills vulnerable people working under the guidance of a two-time Michelin-starred chef. He currently lives in London with his daughter and 3-year-old Chihuahua, Rupert.

Paul Embrey

Volunteer Coordinator

Paul plays a crucial role in our organisation, serving as the key liaison between volunteers and our mission. He manages volunteer recruitment, onboarding and scheduling, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for everyone involved. Paul helps cultivate a vibrant volunteer community, providing guidance, support and recognition to those who generously contribute their time and skills.

With a passion for helping the homeless, Paul has been instrumental in fostering a culture of collaboration and making a significant impact on the success of Soup Kitchen London. Paul lives in south London with his family. 

Rosa Gargiulo

Head Chef & Manager

Eight years ago, Rosa relocated from Naples to London with her family. In the initial years, she navigated the exciting yet challenging process of learning a new language, adapting to a different culture and acclimating to the English climate! During this time, she worked in various restaurants, honing her skills. Rosa became a valuable part of the Soup Kitchen team about three years ago. She says that working here has revealed the immense satisfaction of preparing nutritious meals for those facing hunger and homelessness.

In contrast to the structured environment of a typical restaurant, Rosa now faces the unique challenge of crafting meals with donated ingredients, eliminating the luxury of being able to plan her menu far in advance. Despite the daily improvisation, she finds this aspect of the job gratifying—a constant culinary adventure where every day feels like an invention test!

Our Board of Trustees

Constance Jackson

Board Chairperson

Constance Jackson is the CEO of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, based in New Orleans, where she moved in 2019 after 17 years in the United Kingdom.

Ms. Jackson, who is known as Connie, is an accomplished business strategy executive; she brings global consumer goods experience in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, having worked with clients such as the Estee Lauder Companies of the UK & Ireland and as the start-up CEO of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. Connie serves on the board of the Andre Cailloux Center for the Performing Arts and Cultural Justice in New Orleans. She has served as a Governor of Goodenough College in London from 2011-2022 and the Southern Food & Beverage Museum from 2019 until her appointment as CEO in July 2023.

She is a graduate of Fisk University, the London School of Economics and Harvard University.

Janet Bagby

Trustee

Jan Bagby has an international background in charity and nonprofit organisations. She has been involved with Soup Kitchen London since 1999, serving as a volunteer and trustee.

She has served on the Board of Directors of Refugees International Japan, the Lycée Français de New York, the Punch and Judy Family Centre and the management committee of the Association des Parents de Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle.

Jan has a BS degree in Biology from Abilene Christian University and an MPhil in Epidemiology and Public Health from Yale University.

Jennifer Mills-Knutsen

Trustee

Jennifer Mills-Knutsen serves as ex officio Trustee as part of her role as the Senior Minister of the American International Church, where she began in 2016. Jennifer’s ministry has always been connected with churches serving the needs of people struggling with homelessness and food poverty.

Jennifer previously served as the pastor of St. Luke’s United Church of Christ in Jeffersonville, Indiana and Assistant Pastor at the Old South Church in Boston, Massachusetts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and English from James Madison University and a Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion.

Apart from theological matters, Jennifer is always ready to chat about books, baseball, musical theatre, and travel. Although originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, she loves the Boston Red Sox almost as much as she loves her husband, Josh and her son, Benjamin.

Renee Kuo

Trustee

Born and raised in California, Renée is a graduate of Stanford University and the MIT Sloan School of Business. She has held senior positions across multiple industries, including Managing Director at Citadel Securities in Los Angeles and Managing Director of Debrett’s in London.

In 2019, she moved to France with her husband and son, where she runs a yoga and Pilates studio and helps manage the two guest cottages on their property, La Maison du Petit Jacques.

Michael Brown

Trustee

Michael is a business founder, a long-term managing director of creative agencies, part of the leadership group of an organisation of over 40,000 people and a social enterprise pioneer.

He was instrumental in helping to create and launch the Soup Kitchen’s mental health initiative, which is thought to be the world’s first mental health drop-in centre inside a soup kitchen. Michael recently became a published author with his highly regarded first book, ‘I don’t agree’, a fascinating exploration of new, powerful and surprising solutions to the ancient problem: Why we disagree so much.

Michael lives in Brighton with Katy, Jake, Freddie, Millie, and Tessie – who is a Shi-Tzu.

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