Our generous donors and other funding partners are stepping up to support this fund, which will help people with essential issues such as homelessness, food insecurity, fuel poverty and debt. We now have over £400k in applications, so have increased our fundraising target.
OCF launched our Living Essentials Fund in September, aimed at the most disadvantaged in our county, who are struggling to afford the basics for living a stable and safe life. The fund will help by making grants to grassroots charitable organisations across Oxfordshire working to support them. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and funders, we have now raised nearly £140k for this fund.
The grants round opened in September and is now closed, having received around £400k in applications from 48 different grassroots charitable organisations. Grants will be made in December 2024 to see them through the critical winter months.
One applicant working in East Oxford tells us: “The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have increased and intensified poverty and needs. Since 2021 we’ve witnessed a 38% increase in families asking for help; all disproportionately impacted by food/fuel insecurity and poor health outcomes, with many struggling in poor and often chaotic, overcrowded households. Children and young people, even those eligible for free school meals, are hungry, with limited food at home or for lunch boxes. Not being able to access nutritious food has multiple negative impacts on their health, well-being, learning and concentration, and is increasing tensions in families. We work with growing numbers of parents who starve and skip numerous meals so that their children can eat, or make the stark choice between eating and heating in the coming winter.”
Our Living Essentials Fund builds on our previous grant-making through our Cost of Living Fund, where we awarded grants totalling £559,000 during 2022 and 2023. As part of that funding we supported organisations like Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, pictured. Another previously funded group was Didcot TRAIN, who shared the following case study with us:
One of the charity’s youth workers was doing outreach youth work on the streets of Wallingford, when she was approached by two young people who attend Didcot TRAIN’s after-school drop-in sessions. They told the youth worker that there was nothing in the house to eat because their Dad was struggling with his mental health. The youth worker offered them food, and phoned the school to coordinate their efforts. She also reminded them that the drop-in sessions run throughout the school holidays, meaning that these young people had somewhere to go and get healthy food outside of term time. Youth workers at the charity have been successful in developing trusting relationships with young people, and provide a crucial network of support for young people experiencing food poverty and disadvantage.
We believe that our networks of donors have the compassion and generosity to help us fund even more of the applications we have received, reaching more people of all ages who are struggling with unaffordable essentials. If you are in a position to donate or partner with us on these grants, we urge you to spread a little hope and care, and give to the Living Essentials Fund today.
Donate online now, or contact our Head of Development Kate Parrinder about a funding partnership.