Big thanks for your Christmas Challenge 2018 donations
News article from December 20, 2018
Thank you to everyone who donated to our 2018 Big Give Christmas Challenge! Every penny raised goes straight to the SHS Welfare Fund, and better yet, every penny was doubled by our generous pledgers and friends at the Childhood Trust.
The SHS Welfare Fund provides immediate, practical support to families in desperate need by buying essential items. With 4.1 million children currently living in poverty in the UK, we see the impact that deprivation has on a young person’s wellbeing and life chances.
Poverty impacts on areas of life such as housing and mental health, and means a lack of essentials. It can be hard to imagine missing out on education due to something as basic as not having the money for the laundrette, having no shoes except slippers, or trying to sleep on a mattress shared with parents and siblings, but this is the reality facing many of the children supported by School-Home Support. We have also seen a dramatic increase in the demand for the most basic items such as food and heating.
Thankfully, the SHS Welfare Fund provides a lifeline for struggling families. It allows practitioners to apply on behalf of families, purchasing essentials which mean children can attend and achieve at school, ultimately reaching their potential. Whether their attendance improves because they finally have a clean, well-fitting uniform, or they are able to engage in class because they’ve had a good night’s sleep in their own bed, the items provided by the SHS Welfare Fund have a direct impact on children’s education.
We can’t thank you enough for your donations, and for your help sharing our project with your friends and family. Thanks to your support, more families will be able to benefit from essential items this Christmas season and well into the New Year.