Emmaus South Manchester has received £12,500 from Manchester Masons to help establish a new community to support homeless people.
The £12,500 grant from Manchester Masons was awarded by the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), one of the largest grant-making charities in the country. The funds will help our charity create a new residential community to support people affected by homelessness and social exclusion.
Mark Booth, Project Leader for Emmaus South Manchester, said: “We are extremely grateful to Manchester Masons and the Masonic Charitable Foundation for their generous support. Emmaus South Manchester is committed to supporting people in desperate need and this grant will help us realise our ambitions.”
Emmaus communities support people by giving them a home, meaningful work in a social enterprise and an opportunity to help rebuild their lives. There are currently 29 Emmaus communities in the UK, supporting more than 850 people. Emmaus South Manchester is one of five Emmaus groups working to set up new Emmaus communities in different areas of the country.
Support for those in need
Emmaus communities and groups across the UK are among the organisations being prioritised by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), which is the governing body for Freemasons in England and Wales.
Dr David Staples, Chief Executive of UGLE, said: “We are expecting a harsh winter this year and so it’s essential to protect and support the homeless. Hundreds die every year on our streets during the winter, which is a shocking statistic, and due to the pandemic, many vulnerable people have found themselves on the streets for the first time.
“In this second phase of donations, following our initial contributions during the COVID-19 crisis, we have donated the largest part of the funding towards helping the homeless. We hope this will provide those in need with somewhere safe to stay during winter but also offer them more long-term help to get off the streets and into secure accommodation.”
Having donated £1m between April and July 2020 to help those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, Freemasons are now focusing on protecting the homeless, with a series of donations in England and Wales, totalling £850,000.
Find out more about the Freemasons’ Charity and UGLE.