London Mayor Sadiq Khan made headlines this last week for introducing a new contactless donation system to help non-profits tackle homelessness. The kiosks, located throughout London provide a quick and fun way to give. Someone simply has to swipe their card or phone past the screen and a £3 donation is automatically processed. But for the Mayor this is just part of a broader conversation in an overall vision to invest in the community.
Roughly 3,100 individuals have been sleeping on the streets of London and that has to change according to Kahn, "Ultimately, we need the government to wake up and stop ignoring the fact that their cuts to welfare and support services are pushing more people onto the street. Along with councils and charities in London, we need sustained funding to help people off the streets, and an honest focus by ministers on the root causes of homelessness to end rough sleeping in London for good."
Kahn has embarked on a mission to end homelessness by 2027. According to the Mayor’s website he has, “persuaded all London boroughs to sign up to his ‘In For Good’ principle - a promise that, when a rough sleeper goes to an emergency shelter, they will be accommodated there until a support plan is put in place to help them off the streets for good.”
The government of London will infuse nearly £1B into their infrastructure and create new and streamlined services to help end homelessness. They are looking at this as investment into the future of the city and its residents.
The Mayor’s office reports that their efforts last year made a significant difference. The Mayor’s teams helped 5000 rough sleepers and former rough sleepers, and 86% of those people weren’t seen on the streets again.
Nathan Monk’s new book, Charity Means Love, addresses many of our cultural blind spots in how we give. Pre-order your copy today!
