Aspire's response to COVID-19: April 2020 Update

Right now, in Oxfordshire there are hundreds of people who risk being left behind in the fight against COVID-19. They are local people who are homeless, vulnerably housed or already living in poverty, and many have serious underlying health conditions. They cannot easily self-isolate and many are unable to collect medication or get the food or nutrition they urgently need.

On top of this, the economic impact of the coronavirus will be devastating, and could push hundreds more disadvantaged local people further into unemployment, poverty and homelessness. The situation facing the men and women that Aspire support every day is critical: they cannot afford to wait.

We are launching an Emergency Appeal to provide both short term and longer term responses to the coronavirus crisis and to make sure that Aspire can step up and respond to what will be an unprecedented level of demand in the coming months. And even when the media spotlight on the pandemic finally dies down, we need to ensure that we are still there for the most excluded people in our community, who too often get forgotten.

Please help us make sure that no one is left behind and donate today.

We are over the moon to have matched funding confirmed from a private donor for £12,500 and from Oak Investment Partnership for £2,500. So every £1 given until Friday 17th April up to £15,000 will be matched. This means that you can double your donation and achieve even more impact for people facing homelessness and poverty across our community.

Your support will enable us to step up our response in these key areas:

• Providing urgently-needed employment and homelessness prevention advice and guidance to the 2,100 men and women we support, despite the pandemic. Our team are working tirelessly to achieve this through facetime, phone calls and helping our beneficiaries access online training
• Launching temporary, emergency accommodation in Oxford city for individuals with a history of rough sleeping
• Preventing evictions by stepping up our homelessness prevention service and employment support so that we are ready to meet an unprecedented level of demand.
• Strengthening Aspire’s resilience as an organisation so that we can continue to respond quickly and flexibly to fast-changing situations

“I am so grateful for the support from Aspire, delivering food parcels and offering daily telephone support, it helps my mental health knowing someone is at the other end of the phone.”

S, Aspire housing project beneficiary

How your support makes a difference

£50 could fund a home-starter kit for someone moving into new accommodation

£220 could provide needs assessments for 10 families at risk of eviction

£2,500 could furnish 8 beds of emergency accommodation for rough sleepers

£5,000 could provide long-term employment and housing support for 20 people affected by the coronavirus crisis

We are living in unprecedented times, and your support in making sure that the most marginalised people in our community don't get left behind is so much appreciated. With thanks and best wishes from the whole Aspire team.