Please donate now – it takes less than 20 seconds. If you’re a UK taxpayer, remember to tick the box to ensure your donation is “gift aided”, thus adding an extra 25%. Or, donate by SMS: Just text PAIH99, with £2, £3, £5 or £10, to 70070. For example, text PAIH99 £5 to 70070 . takes around ten seconds.
In 2011, we provided food, temporary shelter and practical advice and support to 303 destitute people. We provided 1,930 nights of emergency shelter (through hostels and our volunteers). We also gave out over 998 crisis payments totalling £29,100 from a Hardship Fund. (We currently give out over £2000 every month). The Fund is paid for by private donations. Two thirds of those who we helped were “additionally vulnerable”: the elderly, children, pregnant women, young women under the age of 25, those with mental or physical health problems, survivors of trauma, for example, torture, sex trafficking or domestic violence.
The Hardship fund is a lifeline for those who have no alternatives. Destitution is not an option, nor can they return to an unsafe country. The Fund makes a huge difference, and gives vulnerable people breathing space to have often erroneous asylum decisions reviewed by good legal advisers. Any donation you can give, no matter how modest, is enormously appreciated.
Please give a donation
Our target is to raise £24,000 by the end of 2012. This would go a long way to helping us plan out crisis payments for the most vulnerable during 2012.
The response to the appeal has been humbling. Older people have donated their heating allowances. Others are donating money for Christmas presents. Teachers and pupils from schools have gathered food items, blankets and clothing. John Wilkes, the eminently likeable Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council has also spoken out, describing our work as "life saving". The Archdiocese of Glasgow, our members, Scottish Registered Social Landlords, women’s organisations, trade unions and others have all generously donated.
With your help, we can support people like:
· 57 year old Mr Chen has a serious heart condition. He was living on the floor of another asylum seeker's flat but was asked to leave at short notice. Mr Chen slept rough at the local Bus Station the night before arriving at Positive Action in Housing. Although he had applied for “section 4” support he was still without immediate shelter. We arranged a crisis payment and essential travel for hospital appointments and found a volunteer willing to give a room for two to three weeks while his support came through.
· 30 year old Patrick has been waiting for 18 months for a decision. He manages to sleep on the floor of someone's flat. He was referred to a GP because of his ill appearance; the GP said he was, in fact, starving.
· 58 year old Josephine from Somalia is a very frail, unwell woman and has had no support for 6 months.
· 26 year old Aisha is still in accommodation but has received no support for 7 months. She is very malnourished.
Scotland is facing one of the severest winters and we want to ensure we can give additional support to everyone who needs it. Please give a donation today. ALL money will go directly towards providing humanitarian relief to service users.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Once you donate, the money goes straight to the Hardship Fund and Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.
Thank you for supporting this appeal.
Robina Qureshi
Director
Positive Action in Housing Ltd is a Scottish Registered Charity SC027577
Registered office: 98 West George Street Glasgow G2 1PJ
Positive Action in Housing (Scottish Registered Charity No SC027577) is a homelessness charity which provides a hardship fund and emergency free shelter for destitute people seeking asylum. Our Lifeline Project is the only project of its kind in Scotland. It directly assists those who are forced into starvation and destitution by the UK government in an attempt to force them to return to unsafe conditions. The overall aim is to lift people out of destitution and assist them to gain a resolution of their status, whether by overturning bad decisions or seeking reviews or negotiating return.
Thank you for taking the time to visit Positive Action in Housing's 2012 Destitution Appeal.
