Sussex Community Foundation is re-booting the Sussex Crisis Fund (support and recovery phase) and hopes that local people will once again step forward with donations to support those who are struggling to make ends meet. Kevin Richmond, CEO at Sussex Community Foundation said: “This third lockdown is now beginning to ease and we are all delighted to see some light at the end of the tunnel. However, for many people, the fallout from this pandemic is hitting harder than ever and there is much more work for our amazing local charities to do to support those people.” These are the charities in Crawley who have benefitted from the fund: Crawley Community Youth Service £5000 Crawley Museum £2818 Crawley Open House £1781 Crawley Open House £10000 Crawley Town Community Foundation £5000 Crawley Town Community Foundation £4880 Forward Facing £4000 Friends of Manor Green College £3835 Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group £4633 Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group £4956 Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group £3340 Gurjar Hindu Union (GHU) Ltd £3500 Giving Back Crawley £5250 Home-Start CHAMS £2500 Maidenbower Park Community Club CIC £5600 New Life Foundation £5000 Olive Tree Cancer Support Centre £5000 Rape Crisis Surrey & Sussex £5000 Refugees Welcome - Crawley £3500 Relate North & Southwest Sussex £1374 Relate North & Southwest Sussex £2500 Rivers Learning Project Community £5000 Rivers Learning Project Community £5000 Rivers Learning Project Community £5000 Siri Guru Singh Sabha of Crawley £5000 SEDS Sussex Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobility support group £5000 The Neurokinex Charitable Trust £5000 Tamil Learning Centre Crawley £4000 Super Siblings £7000 Transform Housing & Support £4940 Local advice agencies are describing a new cohort of people through their doors - those whose are ‘new to poverty’. They have used up their savings and credit limits have been reached. Many are reaching a tipping point with their finances and are forced to seek help, having never needed to before, with some using foodbanks for the first time. Many people have seen job losses and reduced employment opportunities. This is especially true for young people and older workers. Many people have experienced mental health challenges, and women’s refuges are in high demand – with situations of domestic abuse exacerbated by three lockdowns. “Sussex charities continue to face immense pressure in 2021, with some even facing closure,” says Mr Richmond. “The vital services they deliver to local people are being stretched almost to breaking point, which is why we are re-launching the Sussex Crisis Fund – with what we are calling the Support and Recovery phase and, once again, we are asking for your help.” The relaunched Fund will make grants across the four main areas: Mental health support; Advice and support services; Costs associated with providing food and other vital support; Digital inclusion “We want to thank everyone who so generously donated last year- please do consider giving again, to make sure that our vital local charities can continue to help those who need it the most.” Please donate at www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund