Interim update from Covid-19 Homeless Taskforce.
The taskforce, co-ordinated by the Museum of Homelessness, has been active in nine London boroughs.
In December 2020 QSA provided a £10k grant to the Covid-19 Homeless Taskforce - a group of small, independent, community organisations and charities - who are working alongside people who are homeless during this challenging winter. The taskforce - comprising Streets Kitchen, The Simon Community, The Outside Project and Museum of Homelessness - has, sadly, been very busy.
During 21 December to 31 January the taskforce carried out work in nine London boroughs.
In this period, the grant paid towards:
- Accommodation at the YHA for 16 LGBTIQ guests of The Outside Project
- 1,714 early morning breakfasts on the street in Camden
- 4,080 evening meals/interactions across nine boroughs
- 1,104 bedtime check-ins and hot drinks/snacks in Westminster.
As well as accommodation for The Outside Project's guests, the taskforce has been able to supply tents, sleeping bags, pods, emergency bivouacs, shoes, clothes, food and drink. In addition, members of the taskforce have offered consistent and regular companionship for people who are locked out during lockdown. Unfortunately, many other homelessness services remain closed or extremely restricted due to lockdown.
The taskforce's work continues, and on the coldest night of the winter to date, 10/11 February, volunteers were working in the West End, seeking to distribute survival gear and hot drinks to anyone who needed them.