How do people become homeless? We all tend to assume it will never happen to us, but the truth is, it can happen to anyone.
Couples may split, or, one of you may end up losing your job, and before you know it, you’ve ended up ‘sofa surfing’ in your friend’s house. This may seem like a temporary situation, but some people can end up doing it for months. It can be a difficult time, because it can be tricky to maintain any kind of personal routine when you’re at the mercy of someone else’s. And when that happens, previously strong friendships can become strained under that pressure.
If you then come to the realisation that you are unable to stay with your friend any longer, what’s the next step? For some people there is literally no choice, and they end up having to find somewhere outside to sleep. Once that happens, getting the support required can be incredibly daunting. Local councils are often overstretched and over budget and they may struggle to assist everyone.
In 2019, Crisis stated that on any given night there are a devastating 71,400 homeless families and individuals forced to sofa surf across Great Britain. It was a worryingly high statistic back then; throw in a pandemic and it’s likely to be much worse now.
I believe we can all benefit when we’re kinder to each other. It starts with keeping an open mind and being kind to yourself. Once you’ve found that inner compassion, it becomes natural to extend your compassion to others. It isn’t always easy, and I think we’re all guilty of assuming that becoming homeless will never happen to us, but for some people it’s an everyday reality. Their hell is real. Providing warm clothing is a small gesture, but often, it can make a real difference. Staying warm and dry is a luxury we all take for granted much too often.
So, while I sincerely hope it doesn’t happen to you, wouldn’t it be nice to know that you’ve helped a rough sleeper in some small way? Please consider donating your money and enable us to provide clothing vouchers to rough sleepers, poverty-stricken families and anyone who needs them. The world will be a kinder place for it. Thank you.
At Clothing Collective, we partner with local charities and charity shops to provide clothing vouchers for those most vulnerable living in the UK.
Spring is here and temperatures are rising, but those sleeping rough are still feeling the cold. By donating today, you can help provide rough sleepers with the essential clothing they need to stay safe against the elements.
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