A group set up to help homeless people says it is struggling to support those in need because of the rising cost of living.
Helping Hands Suffolk offers a multi-purpose service that includes befriending, ensuring hot food twice a week, providing tents, sleeping bags as well as other life-saving equipment and more.
Jill Farmer, the founder of Helping Hands Suffolk, said: “We help our friends, as the service users are called, with resettlement when moving forward from the street to temporary housing and then onto permanent housing.
“We offer advice and signposting, our befriending is 24/7 so once our sessions have finished, we are still contactable and vice versa.
"We have offered respite care to some of the most vulnerable people in our society when our funds have allowed this.”
The organisation has struggled financially as the cost of living has risen. As Ms Farmer admitted, it had to cut the amount of hot food given away under the homeless umbrella.
The non-profit organisation has 12 volunteers - some of them were homeless themselves and got back on their feet, thanks to the HHS.
Now they support the initiative by picking up food and donations, organising fundraisers and promoting the organisation to the wider community.
Heather Loweena, a volunteer, said: “Homeless people deserve a place to be seen and heard and respected but alas for now we can offer them this through conversation and many come for this.”
Many local businesses and organisations help HHS by providing donations, including Waitrose, Morrisons, CodFather, Just a burger, Katie’s Plant & Garden Centre, House in Town, Suffolk Canine Creche, Teapot Project, Case is Altered, Spud Hut, Rethink Recycle, Reuse, Reduce ️and Rehouse, Murtons as well as from local people across Suffolk.
Ms Farmer said: “No one is paid, not even expenses. Everything is donated or fundraised via us or others. The donations go to help someone we care or befriend.”
She added: “I couldn’t imagine how we would afford to continue if we had wages or overheads.”
If any readers would like to get involved, please email helpinghandsipswich@gmail.com or phone 07796148628
HHS is on Facebook: #canyouseemenow
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