Emmaus South Wales has received £25,000 from The Waterloo Foundation to ensure its work supporting formerly homeless people continues amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Emmaus South Wales supports people who have previously been homeless by offering a place to live within a communal setting and the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience in its five charity shops.
The grant, which is unrestricted, will be used to cover core operating costs in order to maintain service provisions for the 17 people Emmaus South Wales currently supports.
Jemma Wray, Chief Executive at Emmaus South Wales, said:
“Every person and household has been affected by the coronavirus lockdown and Emmaus South Wales is no different. Despite our shops being closed, we’re doing all we can to keep our residents safe, supported and active.
“At Emmaus, we provide more than just a bed for the night but offer a home for as long as needed, the opportunity to gain work experience in our shops, and tailored support to help people rebuild their lives.
“The grant from The Waterloo Foundation will help to ensure that our staff team continues providing vital support for our residents, which is needed now more than ever in these unprecedented times.”
The temporary closure of the five Emmaus shops in Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan due to the coronavirus situation means that the charity is facing an income shortfall and the longer the closure continues, the more difficult the situation becomes.
The Waterloo Foundation is an independent grant-making Foundation based in Cardiff, Wales. The Foundation is most interested in projects that help globally, particularly in the areas of the disparity of opportunities and wealth and the unsustainable use of the world’s natural resources, however, awards grants within Wales to help support the local community in which it is based.
To find out more about The Waterloo Foundation, visit www.waterloofoundation.org.uk/index.html
To support Emmaus South Wales, please visit www.emmaus.org.uk/south-wales/covid-donations/