Homeless Outreach in London
This project has been going strong for eight years with the help of the #friends #family #MCEC community. We couldn't be more grateful to those who have been able to take a risk and step out to help during these difficult times when some of us couldn't.
The homeless population in this area reaches 100-150 people, and when asked about accommodation during COVID-19, they roll their eyes. They are forgotten or neglected.
We know some of you may be struggling with being stuck at home for this long period, but please be grateful for a home, food, bathroom facilities – you have everything you need. We are fortunate to have a roof over our heads during this difficult time.
Thanks to those who helped in person and in kind.
Homeless Feeding in London
Every Saturday, HANDS International and the MCEC (Muslim Community & Education Centre) host a feeding program for London's homeless community. The location is outside the London School of Economics (LSE) in Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn (WC2A 3PF).
This initiative is run entirely by volunteers. Food distribution starts at 6:30 pm on Saturdays.
Volunteers contribute in various ways:
Some prepare and bring hot meals in individual packages.
Others donate snacks, fruits, drinks, essential items like socks and toiletries (depending on weather conditions), and hot beverages with snacks.
Beyond food, we offer additional support:
We have a mobile outreach unit, a converted ambulance staffed by volunteer medics (paramedics, nurses, and doctors) who provide free health checks and referrals to local NHS facilities when needed.
For the past two years, we've also offered flu vaccinations to this vulnerable population, authorized by NHS England.
HANDS International and LSE 'GIVE' Soup Kitchens
1st Soup Kitchen – Held in 1st week of November 2018
This was our first soup kitchen of the term, and it went very well – we ordered enough food for the homeless in attendance and managed to distribute all the water bottles as well. Points for improvement included engaging the homeless in conversation more to add a more personal aspect to the soup kitchen.
2nd Soup Kitchen – Held in 3rd week of November2018
Learning from our first soup kitchen, I attempted to involve more of the 1st year students in taking on roles of responsibility during the 2nd soup kitchen. This involved assigning them tasks such as calling out the ticket numbers, setting up the apparatus and running the ticket shuttle system. This proved to be a great success!
3rd Soup Kitchen – Held in 1st week of December2018
By now, we had a smooth operation in process, where each volunteer had a crystal-clear understanding of their specific role and how to tailor it to certain situations. This meant our soup kitchen ran as smoothly as ever, with observers noting how efficient it seemed!
After our 3rd soup kitchen, I learnt that ‘GIVE’ had been nominated for and subsequently won a FOSIS (Federation of Student Islamic Societies) award for Best Community Outreach initiative across ISOCs in the UK, a testament to the hard work the volunteers put in and the continued support of Palmers Green Mosque!
4th Soup Kitchen – Held in 2nd week of January2019
Following the holidays, I had to galvanise the volunteers into renewing our intentions as to why we run these soup kitchens, namely to please Allah (SWT) and attain His pleasure through helping the needy. It was a timely reminder so that our volunteers continued their hard work with the core Islamic values at the heart of it, presenting the best dawah!
*** Total number of beneficiaries during each Soup Kitchen has been 150 + ***
Plans for the future
We plan to hold at least 3-4 soup kitchens before the end of term, with one interfaith soup kitchen during ‘Discover Islam Week’ with Jewish Society, Hindu Society and the Christian Union at LSE. We hope to continue to have the support of Palmers Green Mosque! Moreover, we are very interested in having a mobile clinic at future soup kitchens, to widen the scope of what we offer currently!
Donations to Homeless Action in Barnet
HANDS International have recently donated hundreds of good quality clothes to Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB).
They provide:
Day Centre Services
The Day Centre provides a wide range of services to meet our clients needs. These cover practical needs as well as advice and advocacy on a number of issues.
Tenancy Support Services
HAB has two Tenancy Support Services. One is a Floating Support Service provided by Outreach Barnet and the other is a partnership with the Foundation Project to provide temporary accommodation while trying to secure a tenancy in the private sector.
Health Services
A range of services provided by Barnet Primary Care Trust to meet the needs of our clients who are not able to access community based services