5,500 people supported over the festive season
In this issue, we’re excited to share how your generosity is helping people rebuild their lives after homelessness. You’ll read Abdul's powerful story, showcasing how becoming a Crisis member transformed his life. We also introduce Built for Zero, a new initiative aimed at ending street homelessness in Brent. While there’s so much more to explore, every success is made possible by people like you.
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Alongside staff, thousands of volunteers and partners up and down the country once again offered their time, skills and support to help people build their lives beyond homelessness.
Every year, Crisis at Christmas opens hotels and day centres in London. We provide food across the country, either offering hot sit-down meals or organising food deliveries directly to people.
At our hotels and centres, we bring together healthcare professionals including doctors, podiatrists, physios and more, to provide direct and tailored care.
We also offer a host of wellbeing services such as hairdressing, massage, exercise and creative classes.
Crisis case workers are always on hand to provide specialist advice to support people out of homelessness.
...Thanks to you
5,500 people supported over the festive season
Nutritious meals cooked every day
Thousands of cups of tea for guests and volunteers - too many to count
Hundreds of eye tests and dental exams
...Thanks to you
5,500 people supported over the festive season
Nutritious meals cooked every day
Thousands of cups of tea for guests and volunteers - too many to count
Hundreds of eye tests and dental exams
The Christmas Case Management Team begins their year-round work in December, supporting guests at our London hotels.
Sidney shares a little about their work, “When the hotels open, each person in our team works with up to 20 guests who have been living on the streets, often for years and with no intervention. Many have serious health conditions and have been excluded by other organisations. We continue supporting them after the hotels close, sometimes for up to three years.”
“ The first step is to support people into safe housing. We develop trust with people who have been let down over and over by other’s in the past”
“ But we can’t just support people into accommodation and leave them to it. That doesn’t address the causes of homelessness. It’s vital that we support members throughout their journey.”
“We work with people for as long as necessary to end entrenched homelessness.”
Simon volunteers for Crisis in Oxford every Christmas, delivering packages filled with food, cleaning products, and treats to members.
He explains why he returns each year: “The people who I deliver to are obviously having really hard times in life, especially those with families. The bags contain a real mixture, everything from household cleaning products to food and treats. That contribution makes them feel like there's someone out there who has their back.”
“I thought I had everything; a home, wife of 23 years, three lovely kids. But then it all fell apart after my marriage broke down. I was depressed and didn’t know what to do. I slept rough for nine months before being placed in a hostel, but after six months, I was homeless again. I had no confidence and didn’t trust anyone. I saw a doctor, who told me about Crisis.
I met Kaz, my lead worker, and everything changed. She helped me find a home, and now I love it. I’ve got a garden with plants everywhere—I’m crazy about gardening. My Crisis Coach, Melissa, taught me how to manage my finances, use a laptop, and more. I can do these things now and feel like I’m getting my life back on track.”
To support people like Abdul, please donate today.
Now Abdul volunteers at a Crisis shop:
Crisis is delighted to announce a three-year collaboration with Mr. Men and Little Miss.
‘Mr and Little Miss Invisible’ have been created together with people who have experienced homelessness (our Experts by Experience).
The concept of the characters was also backed up by Crisis’ research, which shows that two-thirds of people sleeping rough feel invisible, and that hundreds of thousands of people are hidden out of sight in insecure situations like sofa surfing.
The collaboration launched with a limited-edition range of products featuring exclusive designs, with the help of artist Rory McQueen.
Supported by fashion retailer Uniqlo, the designs appeared on T-shirts. Additional products – including hoodies, tote bags, mugs, water bottles, cushions and lunch boxes – are available online from shopfromcrisis.org.uk and mrmen.com.
Crisis’ Changing Lives programme provides support, training and financial grants to help people with experience of homelessness to set up a business or get meaningful employment. Since 2022, Lloyds Banking Group has supported with:
Crisis are now collaborating with other organisations, so that even more people can change their lives.
Built for Zero is a new approach to solving homelessness, which brings relevant services in a community together to find sustainable solutions for every person experiencing homelessness within their area.
To find a sustainable solution, you need to fully understand the problem. Built for Zero uses continually updating data to provide an accurate picture of homelessness within an area. This information means communities trying to end homelessness can:
• see the population of people experiencing homelessness,
• understand the barriers to moving out of homelessness.
Thank you so much for reading this issue of Together. We are so grateful for the support you give to Crisis.
If you have a few minutes please complete our feedback survey, we'd love to hear what you thought of our magazine.
Thank you so much for the support you give to Crisis. If you would like to continue to help people leave homelessness behind for good, please consider making a regular donation.
could go towards someone’s travel costs, making attending a flat viewing or job interview possible, and helping them to start their journey out of homelessness.
could help someone access expert support from a clinical psychologist, helping them to improve their mental wellbeing and rebuild their life.
could help fund one of our support workers to help someone trapped in temporary accommodation look for affordable and settled housing.
could buy a household starter kit, filled with essentials someone might not be able to afford, to help them settle into their new home.
Or
a month could help provide someone with long-term, tailored support to leave homelessness behind for good.
a month could go towards mugs, pans and cutlery to help someone set up their new home.
a month could help fund one of our support workers to help someone budget and manage their expenses as they settle into their new home.
a month could help provide someone with one-to-one support in finding a secure place to live, so they leave homelessness for good.
Or