As we move into October and with the winter months drawing in, on the horizon we can see the bright lights of trees, the sweet smell of mulled wine and the distinctive sound of Wham beginning to fill the air.
With Christmas festivities round the corner, there has never been a better incentive to start booking your office Christmas meal.
However, we sadly know that this period looks very different for young people who do not have a safe and secure place to call home.
Therefore, this year, LandAid are encouraging the property and real estate sector to consider booking with a StreetSmart restaurant to support young people experiencing homelessness across the UK.
Alarmingly, last year alone 122,000 young people between 16-25 years approached their local council for housing support.
With the enhanced cost of living, many more young people across the UK are going to be forced to turn to charities for support due to not having a stable and secure place to call home.
From 1 November hundreds of restaurants across the country will embark on the 2022 StreetSmart campaign. The campaign is so simple – diners contribute a voluntary £1 donation to their bill during the winter months of November and December.
Every penny raised will support homelessness projects across the UK, including the most vulnerable, living on the streets and in unstable accommodation.
And all the money raised stays local, supporting projects in the area where your donation is made.
The 2021 StreetSmart campaign saw its best success yet, raising over £690,000. Across the country from Edinburgh to Cornwall, this funding is already helping hundreds of young people experiencing homelessness.
Examples include…
Awarded over £5,000, enabling them to continue supporting young people in building towards future independence. This includes 1 to 1 housing support, counselling services, and lessons around skills such as budgeting, cleaning and cooking.
IMPAKT Housing and Support, Bedfordshire
Awarded over £2,000 to install a communal kitchen into their 29-bedroom residence, Weaver House. Here, the young people are prepared with life skills to ready them for sustainable living. The communal kitchen will be used for residents to cook and eat meals together, and celebrate occasions such as Christmas Day 2022.
Awarded £1,800 to provide the young people who arrive at their hostel with an emergency starter kit to help them find their feet. Many will arrive with little or no belongings from very vulnerable situations. Funds will provide vouchers, underwear, hygiene packs and phone credit. This encourages them to live more independently without feeling embarrassed or unable to ask for basic support.
You can play a part in making sure this vital support continues into 2023.
Together we can make the 2022 StreetSmart campaign the biggest and best yet, meaning that even more young people can be supported through the most uncertain time in their life.
A list of participating restaurants can be found here – and can be filtered by location.
More and more are being added by the day, including exciting new openings like Amethyst, Manteca, Caravel and Acme Fire Cult to name just a few.
Get booking now!