In a few short weeks, COVID-19 and our need to respond to the pandemic has changed everything.
The effects on the economy, on the property industry, on our supporters, their businesses, staff and families will be acute and far-reaching.
But the homelessness charities we support and the young people they help are facing just as great if not greater challenges. Young people have no where to self-isolate; staff are struggling with their own sickness, self-isolation, and unwell families; and almost all their planned fundraising activities have been cancelled or postponed.
As the need for their services increases and changes, their ability to provide those services as a result of COVID-19 is being undermined. We want to support those we fund as far as is possible at this difficult time, and are working urgently to understand how we can best help.
We’re all having to adapt and change quickly in this situation. For LandAid this means working out what we need to do now, and in the short term to support the charities within our network, the young people you support and the sector as a whole as we go through this crisis.
We remain committed to ending youth homelessness in the UK and currently the best way that we can work to achieving our mission is by supporting the frontline charities helping young people across the country in responding to this emergency.
We will be working hard over the coming days to shape and communicate how LandAid, our supporters and the real estate sector can help young homeless people in this time of acute need.
This is a time for us to stand together as an industry. As we look after our businesses and our people, we need to look after those least able to help themselves.
Paul Morrish
Chief Executive, LandAid