Move On, Stay On Track

Aim

Provide the support and skills former street homeless people need to maintain their new lives once housed.

Who are we, and what is our project about?

No More Bus. Even More Heart!

We are The Shelter MK but you may remember us as The Bus Shelter MK. We recently rebranded - acknowledging we no longer have a "homeless bus" but 21 bedrooms across the City with lots of heart warming success stories to tell.

We believe everyone deserves a place to call home and feel safe. We go out of our way to be that safe space for people experiencing homelessness in Milton Keynes. Listening, without judgement, and staying right by our guests’ side with practical and emotional support, until they’re ready to move on – and beyond to a full and rewarding life.


A key part of ensuring a successful long term future for someone who has experienced the trauma of street homelessness is financial well-being.  Our project "Move On. Stay on Track" is designed to provide vital knowledge and tools so a former guest will  not fall into a financial black hole, and the risk of becoming homeless again, once they have moved into a new home.  

What do our guests say about The Shelter MK?  "This place saved my life" and "Now I have tomorrows, not just worries about how to survive today" spring to mind as two powerful testaments from people who, with our help, have come off the streets and are now living in a home, with hope and a future.  

This project is very much in line with the funding criteria of Financial Wellbeing - and it is Financial Wellbeing for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We know that providing a safe, warm bed is vital, but once that safe space and trust has been established it is the care and support that our team provide that really makes the difference.  The money to provide this crucial part of our service is 100% dependent on donations, and when funds are tight it is the support for things like managing money, cooking, looking after your health that can't be provided.

How we’ll spend the money raised 

This funding will allow us to run regular sessions for our guests so that they are able to look after their own finances, even when they have very little. They will understand the importance of keeping an eye on their bank account, cooking from scratch rather than buying take aways, trying to save for a "rainy day" and prioritising rent, utility bills and council tax to keep a roof over their head.  We will need to bring in some expertise to run these sessions, both because our staff are at full stretch at the moment given the homeless crisis we are experiencing and also because we don't necessarily have the full range of skills or the expertise to put it over in an engaging way.

How you can help

There are three simple ways to get involved and support our project:

1. Make a donation

Every pledge gets us closer to our goal. Early support can help build momentum and inspire others to give too.

2. Spread the word

Share our project with friends, family and your wider network. The more people we reach, the more likely we are to succeed.

3. Volunteer with us (optional – remove if not relevant)

If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch through the ‘Contact’ section using the subject "I want to volunteer my time or expertise" on our project page.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made