Charitable giving .... The House of Mercy
As an individual I know I don't give enough to charity!
I give a nominal amount to cancer research every month and the RSPB, and I randomly sponsor the odd friend running the marathon and that's it - nothing else!
The more I considered it the more I felt that I should be doing something. I'm not in a position to change the World but I could at least try to have a positive impact on my local town and community. In my position as the business owner of M&M I wanted to choose a local charity that we could support as a business. One that was providing a service to our town and our local people. There are so many worth while charities that need our support and having spoken to the team we felt that a local homeless charity would fit us perfectly ...The House of Mercy!
Sarah
The House of Mercy is in Edwin Street in Gravesend. It was established in 1991 to provide hostel accommodation and support to single homeless people. Since then two further hostels have also opened in Gravesend and Northfleet which provide accommodation for up to 22 people. Residents can stay for up to 6 months, during which time they are assisted by trained staff with housing and job applications with a view to returning to 'normal life'.
Anyone can become homeless very quickly and the emotional effect this can have on an individual is profound. What they need is a space where they can be supported and helped back on to their own two feet so they can move on with their lives, with a job and private accommodation. Often the main catch to someone in getting a job can simply be having a home address - you cant get a job without one and you cant get an address without a job to pay for it!!
Our fundraising efforts started last year when our Branch Manager Lindsey ran a half marathon. In total raising £2,000.
Our next event was in December of last year with a Reverse Christmas Advent Calendar. We asked people to bring toiletries into the office and they delivered! We managed to collect a whopping 317 items to be donated.
This leads me to our next event....Spring Cleaning!!
The House of Mercy need clothing as well as toiletries. All clothes are welcome however they must be in good clean condition. You can bring the items into our office at any time and we will ensure they are donated to the House of Mercy.
So I'd like to ask everyone reading this to take 10 minutes, look through that wardrobe and get any unwanted clothes to us. Not only will you be helping someone in need but also clearing some space in your own wardrobe, which lets face it always feels good!
Should you wish to learn more about the House of Mercy you can visit their web page at https://www.houseofmercygravesend.com/
Should you wish to donate directly you can go to their 'just giving' page at;
Some residents quotes;
'After my landlord increased the rent I faced sleeping on the streets. I'm eternally grateful for the support and care given to me by the House of Mercy who helped me get back on my feet. I will always be grateful to them' M.
'After losing my job I found myself homeless and was sleeping in my car. The House of Mercy has given me the chance to turn my life around' J.
'I was sleeping on the streets which was not a good experience and the charity was there to help me and gave me food and shelter' P.
Thank you in advance!
Sarah