How You Can Help The Homeless This Winter
For most of us, winter is a bit of a rollercoaster. The presents, the partying and the time spent with your closest friends and family. After all of the festive fun, you’re hit with a couple of months of dropping temperatures, the January blues and bank balances that hit an all-time low.
Now, imagine what all of these impending factors would be like if you were homeless and battling the blistery winter weather in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Homelessness is rising at a drastic rate, with the most recent CHAIN database report stating there were 2,116 people sleeping rough in London last quarter.
Rick Henderson at Homeless Link writes, “These figures continue to tell a story of a devastating number of people whose lives are damaged by rough sleeping, failed by systems and policies that are not fit for purpose. ” So, to help you do your bit this winter, we’ve rounded up some ways to help make a difference.
How to help the homeless this Winter
Calling London
Over 14 years since they were founded, Calling London’s Coat Drive is still in top gear as they collect your top gear to distribute to the homeless. They’re after warm coats to provide to those needing them the most – London’s homeless are facing a freezing winter.
Website: www.callinglondon.org.uk
Contact StreetLink
It’s difficult to know what to do when you see someone sleeping rough. It’s heart-wrenching, especially if it’s continually night after night and you don’t know where the nearest shelter is. StreetLink has been designed to help you contact members who, in turn, help someone found sleeping on the street. When you use StreetLink, a member from a local outreach service or authority will be notified and provide that individual with the support they need. It’s incredibly important to note, however, that if you think the person concerned is under 18, do not contact StreetLink and contact the police directly.
Website: www.thestreetlink.org.uk
A member from a local outreach service or authority will be notified and provide that individual with the support they need.
Volunteer At Crisis In London
Whether you’re a night owl or a creative individual with a passion for catering and hairdressing, maximise your skills and help make someone’s day. You can also simply donate to Crisis – one of many ways to give back this winter.
Website: www.crisis.org.uk
Join City Harvest
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that we need to tackle our food waste problem. Go the extra mile and donate surplus food to City Harvest. This group collects surplus food from restaurants, grocers, wholesalers, hotels and caterers and redistributes it to over 375 organisations. To date, they have offset over 27,000 tons of greenhouse gases.
website: www.cityharvest.org.uk
Get talking
Simply talking to a friendly face can make all the difference. Liam Geraghty at The Big Issue agrees and writes: “Homelessness puts an enormous strain on mental health with long hours of loneliness and sleep deprivation… some simple talk or even just asking a personal question can make all the difference.” Stop and chat next time you buy The Big Issue, or offer to buy someone a hot drink or a warming soup. A little can go a long way, especially during the coldest months.
Stop and chat next time you buy The Big Issue, or offer to buy someone a hot drink or a warming soup.
Help out at Shelter From The Storm
Shelter from the Storm is a free homeless night shelter that provides beds, dinner and breakfast for 36 of the homeless every night. Open all year round, Shelter from the Storm provides a warm bed and breakfast, a hot evening meal, showers, laundry, counselling, a legal clinic and even English lessons for those who need it. You can help do your bit by donating or volunteering to help run the shelter.
Website: sfts.org.uk
Donate hygiene products
It’s so easy to forget how integral personal hygiene is to our daily lives and how it can even help boost our self-esteem. With more than 1,300 drop-off points across the UK, The Hygiene Bank is on a mission to help fight hygiene poverty by collecting and redistributing donated toiletries, hygiene and personal care products to charities, voluntary organisations and schools. Find out where your local drop-off point is here.
Website: www.thehygiencebank.com
Grab a charitable coffee
Consider switching to a caffeine fix that makes a difference. Change Please is a London-based coffee company that employs individuals experiencing homelessness to staff their coffee bars while supporting them with everything they need to thrive. With multiple locations across London, it’s a simple way to sip cosy winter drinks while knowing your choice is fueling change.
Consider switching to a caffeine fix that makes a difference.
www.changeplease.org
