Preventing Refugees Falling into Destitution

Aim

To provide basic food/fluids, essential household cleaning and personal hygiene products to vulnerable refugee and asylum seekers in need

MRSN has a long standing history in the community with a reputation for not turning people away. People come from central Manchester, other Greater Manchester boroughs and further afield, because they have heard about the positive outcomes of this service. We offer intensive support to at least 40+ new refugees a week, placing service users in temporary or permanent accommodation, alongside claiming assistance for financial support, as well as identifying employment or training opportunities. We have framed our Destitution Project as uniquely focusing entirely on supporting the transition from asylum seeker to refugee as well as ensuring those still waiting a home office decision are not left out and destitute.

I was a service user at MRSN then became a volunteer before becoming a paid case worker where I am now the project manager. My lived experience makes it easy for me to relate to our clients needs

 We have a small staff  members and they are very passionate to support refugees and most of our staff members with lived experience and our charity known for making a Big Impact with 8 part-time paid members of staff, and rely heavily upon a dedicated pool of 30+ volunteers who we rely upon heavily to ensure we are able to deliver on our services.       

Like many others, MRSN is facing many unexpected, non-budgeted and urgent costs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why we are applying for this funding to meet the needs of our refugees and asylum seekers access food, sanitary items and essential housing provisions such as beds and bedding, cookers, fridges and kitchen starter packs. Given the social distancing, partner agencies where we could previously access some of these provisions have closed in response government mandated reasons. 

As a result, very close to the lock down we have several service users we were not able to place in various accommodations. We know many are staying with friends in already over cramped living conditions while others who we managed to accommodate close to the lock down are in properties without basic essential items such as, beds and cookers and are sleeping or floors and ordering takeaway food. The extra funding will allow us to purchase blow up beds, camper cookers, kettles, and basic cleaning items and products to prevent deteriorating health and well-being and to help slow down the spread of the coronavirus. We have other service users who are self-isolating with no one to assist with accessing medication and food. This funding will allow us to purchase food, make up small parcels and distribute this to them and purchase some small other essential items

This project successfully funded on 7th October 2020