Always on
This project successfully funded on 18th February 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
The Porch - Homeless Winter Appeal
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Crowdfunder is secure
Your payment details are protected
Aim
The Porch is a crucial 7 days-a-week homeless service - we need community help to deliver lasting change for vulnerable people through 2026
About The Porch…
The Porch is the frontline for homeless day services in Oxford – the only place in the City that provides immediate access to day-long support for people sleeping out on our streets.
We are a life-changing charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable adults facing homelessness and poverty, providing a safe space where people receive vital help such as nutritious meals, showers, laundry facilities and tailored support services – totally free and seven-days-a week. Our holistic approach addresses both immediate needs and long-term goals, offering help on housing, finance, physical and mental health, addiction recovery and skills for employment.
Our aim is to reduce the number of homeless people in Oxford and stop the cycle whereby people are dragged back into homelessness. A key part of this is providing focussed help on skills for employment, advice in managing tenancy and personal budgeting under our Moving Forwards Progamme. But when it comes down to our work, we believe the whole is greater than the sum of the parts..!
Why our work is needed…
Basic Needs: We provide food, shelter, and hygiene facilities - meals, showers, and laundry services help meet immediate needs.
Pathways to Stability and Independence: Our Moving Forwards Programme develops life skills with help on financial management, retaining tenancy and returning to employment via our volunteering schemes in catering and horticulture... increasing the chances of lasting housing and employment.
Mental Health and Wellbeing: Many homeless people struggle with mental health issues, substance abuse and feelings of isolation. The Porch provides a safe, non-judgmental place where people receive emotional support, take part in activities promoting mental well-being and access professional counselling.
Community and Social Inclusion: We know loneliness and isolation are barriers to recovery and reintegration, so we nurture a sense of community amongst members and provide a space for people to connect, feel valued, and engage with others.
Addressing Root Causes: The Porch works to address the underlying causes of homelessness and social exclusion. By offering advice on housing, benefits and health, we help people work through this complexity and towards lasting solutions.
Reducing Pressure on Public Services: With targeted support and intervention, The Porch helps reduce the burden on emergency services, healthcare providers, and shelters. Early intervention prevents crises that need more costly public interventions.
And at this time of the year, we are part of the City's crucial response to rough-sleeping in freezing temperatures. Here's a video of the team making our church building ready for this year's overnight support...
A complete “hub” of support...
The Porch nurtures a strong sense of community and belonging, helping people rebuild confidence, gain independence and restore hope. The Porch is a place where everyone is seen, valued, and given the chance to thrive.
We can’t do all this alone – The Porch “community” includes all the expert agencies that provide specialist support at our centre and the local residents, volunteers, schools, colleges and churches that provide help in so many ways.
Why we need your help…
Our annual fundraisers are crucial to us – this year we want you to know that your support will extend beyond the winter months. It will help us meet the steadily increasing demand for our services, all year long. And it will help fund the full range of services that make up our holistic support.
Demand for our services is growing every year and in the last 12 months, we’ve assisted 637 homeless and vulnerable people and provided 19,922 freshly-cooked meals!
This would have been impossible without the incredible support of our many partners and the community. But the rising costs of energy, groceries, maintenance and employing expert staff are a huge challenges for us. This is where we need you!
How we’ll spend the money raised
We’re launching our fundraiser to help us continue all this joined-up support and see that our members have all they need to get back on track - making it available throughout 2026.
For example:
£10 provides a hot meal & hot drinks... a safe space to rest & recharge
£20 provides a week of laundry services for somebody
£30 provides warm showers, fresh clothing & hygiene essentials
£40 provides one-to-one sessions for housing or employment guidance
£50 provides work-skills sessions (e.g. job interview preparation, cooking classes, financial literacy training)
How you can help
Many of our inputs are sourced for free and we are proud of how efficiently we run The Porch. This means every single penny raised will go directly to our expert frontline activities supporting homeless and vulnerable people in Oxford.
And we are grateful to the Aviva Community Fund who are doubling every single donation up to the 31st December!
Finally, our community volunteers are very important to us and our members. If you are interested in helping us at The Porch please contact: [email protected]
The Porch will always be a vibrant & welcoming place - please support us if you can.
Aviva Community Fund has provided £8,061 of match funding
Solus Employee Giving has provided £240 of match funding
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made