Urgent Appeal

The homeless charity Alabaré has launched an emergency appeal to support those affected by homelessness after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

With the virus known to be particularly dangerous to the vulnerable, the charity have warned of the danger it poses to those it supports, with roughly 75% of its service users suffering from an underlying health condition.

Sue Gumbleton, Operations Manager for Alabaré’s Homeless Services said:

"Rough sleepers do not have access to the soap and water we are all using to help protect ourselves. They do not have the means to self-isolate. The vast majority are more susceptible to illness and many have complex underlying health problems. If the virus does spread, homeless people could be amongst the first to die. Our dedicated teams are on the front line, working around the clock to try and make sure this doesn’t happen. We are getting people into our homes where we can support them if they fall ill, helping vulnerable and scared people to self-isolate, making sure they have a safe home, food and medication in this time of urgent need."

The coronavirus pandemic is not only threatening Alabaré’s residents and staff, but is also putting huge strains on the charity financially. The charity's services are facing unprecedented challenges and are putting emergency procedures into place. They have also incurred significant additional costs including adapting communal living spaces for self-isolation, providing food and supplies, and covering staffing costs when colleagues are off sick or in isolation.