Jersey Community Foundation has awarded over £350,000 in grants to 14 charities in Jersey ahead of a challenging new year for many local families, individuals, and organisations.
The funding aims to provide financial aid to those most in need, such as families living in poverty, people living with sickness and disabilities, and children needing improved access to education.
Set up in 2020, the Jersey Community Foundation is a grant-making platform for individual donors and local businesses who want to support their local community and voluntary groups. The £350,000 donation comes from three funds: the ‘William Openshaw (WO) Street Charitable Fund’; the ‘Ann Alice Raynor Fund’; and the ‘Greville Bathe Fund’. Each fund was specifically set up to help those most in need in Jersey.
The following charities are a handful of those that have received a proportion of the funding:
- £12,000 has been donated to Caring Cooks of Jersey (pictured) to provide families in need with food and fuel vouchers. The charity works with local schools to identify children who need help, giving them a wholesome diet for healthy development and the prevention of ill health.
- £40,000 has been donated to Enable Jersey to set up a second-hand equipment hub providing used and repurposed care equipment such as chairs, walkers, beds, and hoists to individuals in the community who need it and who are often unable to afford or source new equipment. As part of the new service, Enable Jersey will offer advice on what the most suitable options available to customers are. The charity provides help, funding, and advice for people of all ages living with all types of disabilities, as well as for their families.
- £5,000 has been donated to Every Child Our Future to identify a new reading programme that can be delivered outside of the school day, such as the summer holidays. The charity teams up with schools, parents, businesses, and the government to enhance literacy and numeracy for early years education.
- £26,858 has been donated to Jersey Action Against Rape (JAAR) to provide support and therapy to survivors over the age of 50 of historic and recent sexual trauma. The charity provides long term counselling and support to victims of all genders and ages who have suffered rape and sexual abuse.
- £6,000 has been donated to Wetwheels Jersey to carry out trips for care home residents. The charity enables people living with disabilities the chance to experience the excitement of powerboating.
Anna Terry, CEO of Jersey Community Foundation said: “With rising interest rates, soaring food and bill costs, and high property and rental prices, the number of people in our community in need of help and support is unprecedented. We hope that these funds provide the immediate relief that families, individuals, and charities need during a particularly challenging winter, and beyond.”
The other charities that have received a proportion of the £354,609.10 funding this Christmas are Brighter Futures; Beresford Street Kitchen; Dementia Jersey; Jersey Childcare Trust; Jersey Eating Disorders Support; Jersey Hospice Care; and Macmillan Jersey.
A small sample of previous funded projects from the same funds include: £10,000 for St Vincent St Paul to provide electricity vouchers and hygiene packs; £10,000 for Families First to support families with sick children needing off-island treatment; £40,000 for The Shelter Trust to set up a 20-bed female-only facility for homeless, abused, and vulnerable women.
