UMOM New Day Centers’ Post

As I start my last week at St Mungo's it feels like a good time to reflect on the last few years. This week we published the Kerslake report, with the commission saying that the Government would not meet its target to end rough sleeping by 2024. And, in fact, our teams on the front line are seeing more and more people forced into homelessness and rough sleeping as the cost of living crisis takes hold and the chronic shortage in genuinely affordable housing continues. This feels particularly heartbreaking after seeing first hand the incredible progress made over COVID, when good quality accommodation was made available to EVERYONE, with support services able to come to the clients and decent funding from the Government. Seeing how hard our teams worked to keep everyone safe was humbling - people worked themselves to the ground, but did it because finally progress was being made and the numbers of people rough sleeping were the smallest they'd been in years. This can't be wasted. The Government needs to take notice of the Kerslake report. Housing benefits need to cover the bottom 30% of rents. Funding for homelessness services needs to be long-term, not just sporadic pots of money. Working at St Mungo's I have met so, so many amazing people. People who work all hours to support people away from homelessness. But without the Government making these changes we will only continue to see these numbers rise.

Can anyone help with this?

Supporting Local Charities: A Commitment to Our Community 🏘️❤️ We are thrilled to announce that we have begun supporting another local charity dedicated to fighting homelessness and social exclusion Crawley Open House. This partnership marks a significant step in our ongoing commitment to giving back to the community that has supported us over the years. Why Supporting Local Charities Matters? Strengthening Community Bonds 🤝: Local charities are deeply embedded in the community, understanding the unique challenges and needs of the people they serve. By supporting these organizations, we help to foster a stronger, more connected community. Addressing Immediate Needs 🛌🍲: Homelessness and social exclusion are pressing issues that affect many in our local area. Through our support, we aim to provide immediate relief and long-term solutions for those in need, ensuring that everyone has access to basic necessities and opportunities for a better life. Promoting Social Responsibility 🌟: Supporting local charities reflects our commitment to social responsibility. It’s not just about business success; it’s about making a positive impact on the lives of those around us. By contributing to these efforts, we encourage others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of goodwill and positive change. Fostering Inclusion and Equality 🌍🤗: Charities that focus on fighting social exclusion work tirelessly to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has a chance to succeed. Our support helps these organizations continue their vital work, promoting equality and inclusion within our community. How You Can Help? Our support is just the beginning, and we invite you to join us in this important mission. Here are a few ways you can get involved: Volunteer 🙋♂️🙋♀️: Give your time to help with local initiatives. Your hands-on involvement can make a big difference. Donate 💸📦: Every contribution, big or small, helps. Consider making a financial donation or providing goods that are in high demand (check their handy amazon wishlist!). Spread the Word 📣: Raise awareness about the charity and the issues it addresses. Share their mission with your friends, family, and social networks. Together, we can make a significant impact in the fight against homelessness and social exclusion. Thank you for your continued support and for joining us in this important endeavour. Let’s work together to build a stronger, more inclusive community for everyone. 🌈✨

Our friends @Justlife carried out research into women’s experiences of homelessness in Brighton & Hove. It’s a story of domestic violence, unhealthy relationships, complex feelings around motherhood and lack of basic safety while in temporary accommodation. We’re fundraising this week to create a year-long programme of free dance classes with and for women who have experienced homelessness. Everything you donate before midday on Tuesday 26 March will be doubled by @BigGive here: https://lnkd.in/e5jSDYD3 Thankyou 🙏 #ArtsForImpact #homelessness #danceforwellbeing #womeninrecovery #fundraising #Brighton&Hove Video description: A video showing roads, streets and cars with text about three things you might not know about temporary accommodation: - it's often not temporary. The shortage in social housing means people can wait years for their own home - living conditions can be poor. Common complaints include damp, overcrowding, infestations and feeling unsafe - people in temporary accommodation are often not considered homeless because they have a roof over their heads

This time next Sunday I will have finished the first day of my bike ride to Edinburgh and be recovering in a hotel somewhere north of Cambridge ready to get going again the following morning. The beginning of 400 miles to raise as much money as we can for Crisis' frontline homelessness services. I'm still feeling pretty terrified by the prospect! To remind you why you might want to make a donation a few facts from Crisis' annual homelessness monitor, published this August: Rough sleeping up 26% in 12 months 100,000 households in temporary accommodation at the end of last year (a family living in a single room in a bed and breakfast hotel, for example); local authorities reporting homelessness prevention services contracting because of sustained cuts to public services, a reduction in the supply of affordable rental properties, and a squeeze on household budgets, and the squeeze on local government finances mean there have been deep cuts to 'Discretionary Housing Payments', one of ways councils are able to help people in crisis. On top of this what we hear from our Pathway hospital teams is that levels of multiple needs and complexity among homeless patients coming into hospital keep on rising, and this group of patients of course already have needs that mean they've been admitted as an emergency to hospital. Long-term we need a wide range of changes to Government housing policy, to funding, to the benefit system, to the kinds of services provided, but in the short term sponsoring me to get to Scotland will help to provide direct support to more people facing homelessness right now. Thank you to everyone who's already chipped in, and thanks in advance for your support. https://lnkd.in/eyiynBxA

I'm so proud of this little people powered organisation. This was Resonance Limited first investment deal way back in 2007 when Resonance was just me. We got 25 local people, a foundation and Triodos Bank to pool resources to buy Mustard Seed Property its first home. That home has been transformational over the years in giving a fresh start to some 50 individuals. Now just finishing our third property with investment from 250 people, we've come a long way. ...lowering our carbon footprint, saving money Providing a pathway out of homelessness is not enough, our shareholders were clear they would rather take slower returns and see a faster commitment to seeing new low carbon technology installed. Across our little portfolio we now have installed solar PV, Heat recovery ventilation, and a pair of heat pump hot water cylinders. Of course lots of other work around insulation as well.. Most of this economic benefit financially benefits our tenants first, but it is good for us all in the long run. Still Ambitious Mustard Seed Property might still be tiny in the scheme of things, but we do things carefully. We have a fabulous board, inspiring social enterprise partners and some very important people living in the homes we develop. What we now need is more shareholders. We have investors who have trusted us with £250 and others with £100,000. Some have strong Cornish connections, others are national foundations wanting to come alongside. Returns MSP has paid a financial return for every year of the last 15 (except once through covid which delayed projects coming to fruition). Today our offered share interest of 4% rising to 4.5% seems lower than some boast, but historically we've paid significantly higher than base rates and unlike some investments, our assets don't depreciate to nearly nothing in 20years. If we can raise £1m the board have agreed we could increase the rate to 5.5% as we are able to become 100% debt free. The more we raise the greater the return. We'd rather pay returns to our member shareholders than the banks...even the nice ones. Join us and be part of making tomorrow better for a part of the country that faces one of the most acute housing challenges. https://lnkd.in/enJq4_Xp #Cornwall #homelessness #learningdisability #supportedhousing #impactinvesting #communityshares Ethex St Petrocs United Response Karrek Community CIC Resonance Limited

On any given night, more than 41,000 Kiwis are experiencing homelessness or hardship. This is a shocking statistic, however unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for Kiwis to be sleeping in their cars, or on the street. Today on World Homeless Day, we are reminded that there are still so many people doing it tough and so much more than can be done. For five years, Orange Sky has provided a simple, yet practical service - free laundry, warm showers and genuine, non-judgemental kōrero. And we need your support. Increasing financial pressures and a significant lack of housing mean that now, more than ever, people across the country are doing it tough. Times are tough, but your generous support can lighten the load. Help Kiwis in our community, and donate today: https://bit.ly/3PBdbY5.

Help me prevent homelessness, by making a tax-free contribution to help people this holiday! 🏡 🙌🏽 🙏🏽 The Partnership To End Homelessness is focused on the prevention of homelessness first and Aine Duggan is leading the charge and is going to make it happen! As we get ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow, I'm asking all of you to help me raise funds to keep people housed this holiday season. Our approach is simple, help people who have fallen on hard times with their rental arrears and keep them housed before it's too late. Statistics have shown that once a human is experiencing homelessness, their recovery chances are very low. One idea is, tomorrow as you gather around the table for Thanksgiving with your friends and family, please consider discussing the topic of people who are living in an unsecured housing situation and perhaps you and your family can raise money amongst yourself and make a donation on behalf of your family and friends. Help me raise $10,000 for the Saves Homes fund and let's keep people housed. #homelessness #thepartnershiptoendhomelessness #nyc #fighthomelessness #NYChomelessness