As the cost-of-living crisis unfolds, we are seeing people who would never have been at risk of homelessness before, now needing our support.
At the same time, we are faced with our own cost-of-living crisis due to the increase in food prices and utility costs which has a direct impact on our ability to deliver our services.
Donate to our Cost of Giving appeal today!
We know that everyone is affected by the current financial struggles, but any amount you can give will make a huge difference to those who are turning to Providence Row for emergency help this Christmas.
We have been working with James*, to help him get off of the streets.
“I did not think my life would be what it is right now. I had a pretty normal childhood I was smart and went to university where I studied accounting and finance. I was married and prepared to start a family. Many people think you end up homeless because you did not have what you could say is a good start; but I am proof that it really can happen to anyone.”
When James was in his early 30’s he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “This really put a strain on my marriage. I was in a really dark place for a long time and eventually my wife left. I stopped going to work. I was just about able to get by, but in a short space of time my rent increased, as did my food shopping and in the end, I just couldn’t afford to pay my bills. I was evicted from my flat and things went downhill very quickly for me. I found myself going from sleeping on mates' sofas to rough sleeping on the streets. Being on the streets is something I wouldn’t wish on anybody. Its lonely but above all else it’s a scary place to be. I used to sleep in a disused car park just to try and stay dry, but I was terrified all of the time. You never know who else is around or what is going to happen to you. I barely slept if at all. This is where started using just to cope. I ended up at Providence Row where I got support with my mental health, but I was struggling with my drug use.”
James is one of many people we are already supporting, but the sad reality is that there are so many more who are on the brink of homelessness, because they simply cannot keep up with the rising cost of living.
Will you make a donation today, to help someone just like James get off and stay off of the streets?
*Names and faces have been changed to protect the vulnerable people we work with.
