Published April 28th, 2020
Cornish charities and social housing tenants will benefit from a new £50,000 hardship fund, designed to help those who are suffering due to the impact of the coronavirus.
The fund has been created by St Austell-based Ocean Housing, and will be distributed to provide financial support to its tenants and other customers most in need throughout Cornwall.
Frances Turner, managing director of Ocean Housing, said: “At this time of crisis, we want to ensure help is available for people in our communities in order to stay safe, well, and fed.
“The Government and other local organisations have already announced a wide range of measures to prevent hardship. Our fund will be awarded to people where their needs cannot easily, or immediately, be met by those organisations, and financial support is required.”
The team at Ocean Housing has identified a significant rise in cases of severe hardship since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. A growing number of tenants have lost their jobs, and are struggling to meet living costs such as bills, food, and rent.
Ocean Housing staff are making regular phone calls to check in with their most vulnerable residents during this time of isolation to see how they are, and signpost to further assistance if necessary.
Tenants have also been showing their resilience by rallying together in their communities and supporting each other where they can.
The £50,000 hardship fund will provide support in areas including helping tenants with bills, fuel costs, and supermarket shopping vouchers, where food banks are unable to assist.
Frances continued: “There will be clear criteria to ensure these crucial resources are distributed to the most appropriate cases.
“The fund is not limited to Ocean Housing tenants, as it will also support our local community groups, charities, and other voluntary sector organisations which are serving our local communities, and are experiencing unprecedented demand for services at this time.
“We know that many people need help quickly, so we’re working to make money available as soon as possible. The fund will be available for up to one year, and our fantastic staff are also continuing to raise money and donations for our local food bank.”
Individuals and voluntary organisations can contact Ocean Housing via phone, email, or LiveChat through the website. When financial support is required, a member of staff can make an application for the tenant or charity by filling in a form, and providing evidence where possible.
For more information about the Ocean Housing hardship fund visit www.oceanhousing.com/hardship-fund-support or call 01726 874450.
