A Hull homelessness charity has funded extra staff to reduce rough sleeping and homelessness in the city during the coronavirus pandemic.
The support from Hull Harp will help outreach programme Emmaus Hull to support those in temporary accommodation in the city.
It will fund a six-month outreach post, an extra team member to assist those in temporary accommodation and further support to those still on the streets.
The funding will help both charities to “break the cycle” for long-term rough sleepers in the city, according to Hull Harp chair Sandy Smith.
“Our trustees have been following the work the outreach team at Emmaus have been undertaking over recent months,” she said. “We believe this is a good time for an intervention to break the cycle and prepare long-term rough sleepers to finally take up the offers of accommodation made to them.
#kindnessmatters Support your local charities!!!!! Calling furloughed professionals we still have opportunities to support our Rough Sleeper Outreach Team! Get in touch by simply sending us a DM 💚 #homelessness #hull #eastriding pic.twitter.com/QMnkRusL9R
— Emmaus Hull & ER 💚 (@Emmaus_Hull) May 19, 2020
“Emmaus has done a great job in supporting these people and with this donation and hopefully it will ease the pressure they are under and make a real difference in the longer term.”
Emmaus supports formerly homeless people by giving them a home, work in a social enterprise and an opportunity to regain lost self-esteem to help rebuild their lives.
Emmaus Hull director Kelly Finnis said the funding will “make a huge difference” to rough sleepers in the city.
“We would like to thank Hull Harp for this generous and kind offer,” she said. “During this global pandemic, charities like our own are facing substantial financial losses. This funding will go a long way in making a huge difference.
“As a city, we are dynamic in our approaches to reducing rough sleeping and citywide partners continue to work closely together to deliver a variety of solutions to meet a diverse range of needs.
“This funded post will work with those in very temporary accommodation in Hull and the East Riding, our existing outreach teams and our many partners to collectively secure longer-term solutions.”
