LGBT Foundation have launched their first Volunteer Hardship Fund

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, LGBT Foundation have launched their first Volunteer Hardship Fund, thanks to the generous support of the Beaverbrooks Charitable Trust. The fund is intended to provide support for those who have been financially impacted by the pandemic.

Through this fund, they will be offering a number of small grants to support LGBT Foundation volunteers who find themselves in financial hardship due to the impact of the Coronavirus. Grants will consist of a £50 voucher from either Amazon or LovetoShop, which covers a wide range of retailers to help people get the essentials they need.

The launch of the fund comes as LGBT Foundation announced last week a massive spike in traffic to their crisis helpline, with callers seeking support due to being trapped with abusive families and forcing them back into the closet, while others were concerned about how coronavirus might affect pre-existing medical conditions. 

Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation, says:

“Our volunteers save lives on a regular basis, and without them there is no way that we could support the vast numbers of LGBT people that need us. Our volunteers provide a listening ear to those in crisis on the helpline, they take care of people in highly vulnerable states in the Village Haven, they raise funds so we can continue to be here and so much more. It is not exaggeration to say that our volunteers are the very foundation of LGBT Foundation.

The pandemic is already having an impact on many in our communities, causing uncertainty, anxiety and leaving people in financial hardship. We are already receiving calls to the helpline from LGBT people reaching out to us for support with the devastating impact it is having and will continue to have across every aspect of their lives.

We know things might be tough now, and it may feel like this current period will never end. LGBT communities have a long and proud history of remaining united and resilient in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. We want you all to know that LGBT Foundation will continue to support you, and that we are still here if you need is. We will always be a family and we love you.” 

LGBT Foundation have also put a call out to anyone who would be able to donate to their fund to allow them to support more people. Those who can should visit here and leave the message ‘Hardship Fund’.

Every year LGBT Foundation provides support to 40,000 people in person and a further 600,000 people online. In the last year, their helpline and email support offered a vital lifeline to 2,357 LGBT people who were able to access support and information on issues including coming out, hate crime, and social isolation. Their Talking Therapies service provided support to 565 people, delivering a total of 1,626 hours of counselling - the equivalent of 10 weeks of continuous non-stop therapeutic support. Both of these services are continuing to operate remotely during the pandemic.

Published: 2-Apr-2020: (5829)