QSA gives £10k to homeless taskforce
Grant is putting into immediate action some of the donations made by supporters to QHA before merger.
Quaker Social Action (QSA) provided a £10k grant to the Covid-19 Homeless Taskforce last month to help people in London affected by homelessness.
The grant is contributing towards 200 winter-grade sleeping bags, 200 hot water bottles, food and festive treats, and emergency accommodation by The Outside Project for people from the LGBTIQ+ community who are homeless.
According to QSA, the grant is ‘putting into immediate action some of the donations which were made by supporters to QHA [Quaker Homeless Action] prior to the merger [with QSA last year]’. The annual Quaker Open Christmas organised by QHA did not take place in 2020 as QSA said it was ‘unfeasible… to plan a Christmas shelter activity in a matter of weeks’. The charities merged on 1 December. QSA is in the process of writing to people who have previously supported QHA.
The Covid-19 Homeless Taskforce is a group of small, independent, community organisations and charities including: Streets Kitchen, The Simon Community, The Outside Project, and Museum of Homelessness. Examples of interactions with those experiencing homelessness include: a conversation at bedding down time; a cup of tea and a meal; a breakfast; or a bed at The Outside Project.
QSA also raised £23,947 in donations for its annual ‘The Big Give’ Christmas Challenge. This unlocked £10,000 of match funding by QSA’s project partner Commonweal Housing.
