Charity Urgently Seeks Suitable Premises and Van to Support
The Way Ministry Reading charity is making an urgent appeal for help in securing a suitable food sto
Charity the Way Ministry, provide a vital lifeline for individuals and families facing food insecurity in Reading. The charity is making an urgent appeal for help in securing a suitable food storage premises and a reliable transit van. With the demand their free community fridge food bank service at an all-time high, these resources are critical to ensuring the charity can continue to serve the growing number of people in need.
We have experienced a significant increase in demand over the past year, with more households relying on food parcels and free food to make ends meet. The current arrangements are no longer adequate to store and distribute the volume of surplus food received. The lack of a van limits the amount of food that can be picked up every week. Every week, up to 6 volunteers use their own cars to pick up surplus food from the supermarkets.
“Our mission is to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry, but we are at a tipping point,” said Grace Gomez, chairperson and founder of the Way Ministry Reading. “To keep up with the rising demand, we urgently need a suitable space to store the donated surplus food over the weekend. We also need a transit van to transport food from the supermarkets and to our weekly drop-in service.”
What the Charity Needs
- Premises: A spacious, accessible facility to accommodate storage of ambient and frozen food. Ideally, the location would have sufficient parking and easy access for volunteers to drop off and pick up the surplus food donations.
- Delivery Van: A reliable transit van to facilitate food collections from supermarkets and to deliver the donated food to the drop in
How You Can Help
The charity is calling on local businesses, community groups, and individuals to help in any way they can. Potential contributions include:
- Offering a premises for lease or donation.
- Donating a van or providing financial support for its purchase.
- Spreading the word about this urgent appeal.
The charity has been helping individuals and families who are experiencing homelesness, poverty and financial hardship for 12 years. Up to 64 of these people are served every week at the free service.
In the last year and a half, the volunteers have made over 1170 collections of 59167g of food. That’s the equivalent of 139 284 meals equating to 147707 of CO2 savings.
Contact Information
For more information or to offer support, please contact:
Grace Gomez, the Way Ministry Reading, 07410 622399 thewayministryreading@outlook.com.
https://thewayministryreading.co.uk/
Social Media: Follow us on [platforms, e.g., Facebook Instagram for updates and to share our appeal.
Get Involved
Join us in making a difference in our community, donate to our cause. Together, we can create a better future for those in need.
The Way Ministry Reading in Action
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The Way Ministry Reading for a Better Future
2024 onwards TWM night shelter - volunteer with us
It is with deep regret, that due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be able to open the night shelter as planned on Friday 10th May. We are really disappointed but have no other course of action at this time. We will really be in need of volunteers when we open again so please keeping watching here and on social media for our opening date.
Please also see more details on the "Volunteering with us" page or email us - nightsheltervolunteers@gmail.com.
January, February and March 2024 Faith night shelter - volunteer with us
Some of the churches in Reading are hosting the night shelter at North Street from now until 24th March 2024. The Way Ministry Reading will be helping by sending volunteers on Friday evenings/Saturday mornings. Please get in touch if you would like to volunteer at the night shelter during this time - nightsheltervolunteers@gmail.com.
December 2023 - We did it!
As we take a moment to reflect on the successful establishment of our night shelter, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible efforts and contributions from each and every one of you. Your dedication and commitment have played an integral role in turning our vision into a reality.
The journey to create the night shelter has been filled with challenges, but it is your unwavering support that has made this initiative a resounding success. Your time, skills, resources, and compassion have created a safe haven for those in need during the darkest hours of the night.
Because of your collective efforts, our night shelter stands not just as a physical space but as a beacon of hope for our community. Your impact will be felt for years to come, providing relief to those who need it most during the challenging winter nights.
What a wonderful start we have made, the volunteers completed 246 volunteer sessions in 2 and half weeks and 24 homeless people accessed the shelter over the time.
Thank you for being an indispensable part of this initiative. Your kindness, generosity, and commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others have left an indelible mark on our organization and the community we serve.
Support The Way Ministry Reading Today
Volunteer trust and grant fundraisers needed
Now that we have secured a permanent premises for the night shelter, the next step is to secure funding to keep the shelter open every night of the year.
The shelter at North Street is currently helping up to 20 adults per night offering a hot meal, showers, clean clothing and a safe place to sleep.
We need a small group of volunteers who can write and submit grant applications for this essential work. If you have a few hours to spare a week and some experience in grant and trust fundraising we would love to hear from you.
If you don't have experience but would still like to help us with fundraising please get in touch.
thewayministryreading@outlook.com
07410 622399
No one should be homeless.
Be a part of something good in Reading
the way ministry reading christmas night shelter for adults
Wonderful news to share
We are thrilled to share some wonderful news with you! The Way Ministry Reading is proud to announce that we have found our own premises. Our new location will enable us to run an emergency night shelter for people experiencing homelessness right here in Reading.
We will be sharing the building with Reading group Fab4 All. Their objective is to promote their members social, cognitive, physical and emotional wellbeing by providing a range of activities which can be adapted to meet their member’s needs.
Our shared building is located at 16 North Street Reading, RG1 7DA. Fab4All will be using the ground floor of the building in the day, and we will have the first floor to run the night shelter from in the evening/overnight/morning. We will run our regular Sunday service from the new location when we move in.
Our commitment to providing a safe and warm refuge for those who are experiencing homelessness has never been stronger. With your continued support, we can make a significant impact on the lives of those in need within our community.
The emergency night shelter will be a place where individuals facing homelessness can find respite from the cold, have a hot meal, a change of clothing, showers and access to vital resources. Our mission is to create a warm, welcoming, supportive, and dignified environment for our guests, and we are excited to extend this opportunity to them.
ways to support our night shelter to prevent rough sleeping
There are a number of ways that you can support us.
Charity Run/Walk: Organize a charity run or walk, where participants can raise funds through pledges and donations.
Community Fair: Host a fair with games, food stalls, and entertainment, where proceeds go help us run the night shelter.
Concert or Talent Show: Arrange a local talent show or concert, with ticket sales benefiting the us.
Crowdfunding: Create an online crowdfunding campaign on platforms like GoFundMe sharing the charity's mission and goals.
Virtual Challenges: Organize virtual challenges such as a sponsored virtual walk or a social media campaign with specific hashtags to raise awareness and funds.
Corporate Sponsorship: Local business can sponsor the night shelter for a day, week or month.
Employee Giving Programs: Companies can set up employee giving programs, where employees can donate a portion of their salary to the us.
Collaborate with Local Businesses: We can partner with local businesses for special promotions or events where a percentage of sales go to the charity.
School Partnerships: We can work with schools to organize fundraising events, like a charity day or a school fair.
Church Partnerships: We can come and give a talk at your church and support fundraising events.
Donate
Your contribution can help us provide food, shelter, showers and clean clothing to people experiencing homelessness this Christmas and beyond. No donation is too small, and every penny counts.
Why not give regular amount to help homeless people in Reading and prevent them them from having to rough sleep in dangerous conditions. Our bank details are available on request.
£5 will help to provide food and shelter for one homeless person per night
£20 will provide food and shelter for 4 homeless people per night
£50 will help will help with the daily running cost of the night shelter.
£100 will help with the months running costs of the night shelter.
Volunteer With Us
We can't do this without you. We need volunteers to help us run the night shelter, volunteers must be 18 and over.
Volunteering opportunities at the night shelter
- 7.15pm to 11.15pm Team leaders
- 7.30pm to 11pm Welcome, serving and hosts team
- 7.15pm to 9.45pm Cooks
- 11pm to 7.30am Overnight volunteers (can sleep in turns)
- 7.15am to 9.15am Breakfast and set down volunteers
Spread the Word
Help us raise awareness about our cause by sharing our mission with your friends, family, neighbours, church family and colleagues. Follow us on social media and invite others to join our community.
Join Our Team
If you're passionate about making a difference, join our team and become part of the The Way Ministry Reading family. We're always looking for dedicated individuals to help us achieve our goals. We need people from all walks of life with a range of skills and abilities.
Help with administration
- Overseeing the online rota
- Processing volunteer application forms/taking references
- Booking volunteers onto the training sessions
- Coordinating volunteers
Fundraising and Marketing
- Help writing grant and funding applications.
- Promoting the night shelter to get corporate donations/sponsors/volunteers
- Promoting on social media
- Help with fundraising/fundraising ideas
HELP NEEDED AT NIGHT SHELTER
Why Your Help Matters
Homelessness is a pressing issue in our community, and with your support, we can create a space that offers shelter, warmth, and hope to those in need. Your skills can make a real difference and contribute to building a better future for our community members.
How to Get Involved
If you or someone you know is a skilled tradesperson willing to volunteer their time and expertise, please contact us at thewayministryreading@outlook.com. We are open to any form of assistance, whether it's a few hours of your time, a specific skill set, or even recommendations for potential volunteers.
Spread the Word
We also encourage you to share this message with your networks. The more people we reach, the greater the chance of finding the skilled tradespeople we need.
Get Involved
Join us in making a difference. Whether you want to donate, volunteer, or simply learn more, there are many ways to get involved and support our work.
Thank you for considering this request. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those less fortunate in our community.
News
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
Thank you to BBC Radio Berkshire for caring and giving me the opportunity to appeal for a premises for the night shelter on the Andrew Peach show this morning.
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
Thank you to BBC Radio Berkshire for caring and giving me the opportunity to appeal for a premises for the night shelter on the Andrew Peach show this morning.
BBC News - 29/12/22
BBC Radio Berkshire - 4/1/23
ITV Meridian - 29/12/22
Read our founder, Grace Gomez, share her concerns as our temporary homeless shelter closes on BBC News.
ITV Meridian - 29/12/22
ITV Meridian - 29/12/22
ITV Meridian - 29/12/22
Check out our interview with Sangeeta Bhabra on ITV Meridian News as we talk about our Christmas shelter project
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ITV Meridian - 29/12/22
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