The pandemic is testing the community's resilience in ways we've never seen. We're helping vulnerable people make it through the crisis, and we need your support.

With the impact of this crisis growing, vulnerable people will need emergency support longer than we expected or have funding for. We’ve already delivered emergency food and essentials to some 1,700 people through our hub and foodbank. It costs us around £1,000 in shopping alone each week and demand remains stubbornly high. That’s why we've launched our BDCA Covid Appeal.

Can you help our community make it through this crisis? Many people are asking for help for the first time. People who’ve lost jobs who are not eligible for support or have no recourse to public funds. Young families previously scraping by who can no longer afford the basics. People without food while they wait for Universal Credit. And vulnerable older people struggling with isolation.

Sandra recently called us to thank us for her emergency relief pack. We nearly cried when she told us “My children and I said a prayer for you all around our dinner table on Tuesday night, thanking God for you!”

Janet is a 66-year-old widow who we matched with a trained BDCA volunteer befriender. Their weekly phone calls help her combat the the loneliness of self-isolation and she says “She is just a great match, we’ve got so much in common! It’s just like speaking to one of my own!” 

Tariq and his children have been taking part in our virtual Community Craft sessions on our YouTube channel while schools are closed. He says “We love watching your channel and the kids have an amazing time making things!"

Your support could make all the difference right now. It means we can deliver emergency relief packs to more families like Sandra’s, support more older people like Janet, and provide more creative challenges for children like Tariq's. 

Will you be there for your community by making a donation today? By donating, you’ll help us continue providing critical support to the most vulnerable through the next phase of this crisis. And you'll help us keep our services running for the community at a very challenging time for local charities like ours.  

We are so grateful to everyone who has already donated time and money to BDCA and other community organisations. Thank you! We know that times are tough for many. If you have already given to your community, then please accept our very grateful thanks. If you are not in a position to do so, we completely understand. Please help us by sharing our appeal instead!

Our Chair, Dave Mann, recently said to our team"I wish you all could see the joy and relief of people on their doorsteps when we deliver their emergency packs. It makes all the effort and graft worthwhile!"

Further information

In March, BDCA partnered with four other local charities to deliver borough-wide support. The amazing people of Newham generously raised £11,700. It was shared between the five charities and really helped us get through the first few weeks. 

The money we raise from this appeal will allow us to continue BDCA's coronavirus response, and we will allocate it across our relevant projects according to need, e.g.

• Providing emergency relief packs of food and essentials to vulnerable individuals and families through our hub and our foodbank
• Keeping our advocacy and advice service running to support people in need through phone appointments while we can't meet face-to-face
• Delivering our new neighbourhood shopper scheme, run by volunteers to get shopping to those who can afford to pay but can’t go out
• Extending our programme of virtual activities to help keep families and young people busy and learning new skills while schools are closed
• Continuing our programme of services for elders, including regular befriending calls and support to stay connected 
• If we raise enough money, preparing other projects for post-lockdown, such as activities to help people to get outside, active and healthy

We'd love to be able to update you on progress and send you any rewards you've signed up for, so when making a donation please consider ticking the 'product owner marketing' box to allow us to communicate with you by email occasionally.

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