The Morrisons Foundation offers a £500,000 lifeline to homeless people
There are around 320,00 homeless people in Briton and experts are warning more must be done to avoid a spike in homelessness due to the pandemic’s economic impact.
The emergency funds are being provided by the charitable arm of Morrisons supermarket. Many homeless people and charities are facing significant pressures.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThere has been a 48 per cent decline in voluntary income to charities since the onset of Covid-19. At the same time, charities have seen a 20 per cent reduction in staff due to self-isolation and sickness.
Some charities have had to urgently source PPE equipment, food and everyday essentials.
Charities will be able to apply for emergency funding to pay for these costs.
David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: “Morrisons is committed to helping the most vulnerable in our society. We know that the coronavirus outbreak presents a particular risk to the homeless and we want to do our bit to help. This new fund will help charities doing vital work to care for the homeless at this critical time.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdNick Connolly, Managing Director of End Youth Homelessness, said: "Our member charities need cash to pay for staff, personal protective equipment, food and other essentials to a level they could not possibly have envisaged a few months ago. We are so pleased this is being recognised."
Rough sleepers are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 because they are more likely to have underlying health conditions and are less able to access basic sanitation.
Charities can apply online for grants of up to £10,000 at www.morrisonsfoundation.com and successful applications will be fast tracked for payment.
Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAlmost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.
And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.
Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.
If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.
Sincerely. Thank you.
James Mitchinson
Editor