Who you have helped

Who you have helped

Give DIFFerently funding supports a person who is experiencing or at risk of homeless as part of their personal development plan.

Here are just a few ways your generous donations are helping.

Self-employment

Self-employment

For someone experiencing or at risk of homelessness, it’s common to have at least one criminal conviction, which makes it extremely difficult to find a job. Many application forms ask about previous criminal activity and we’re legally required to disclose it because many companies will perform routine DBS checks. An alternative option is to become self-employed, which is why Give DIFFerently have helped two grants applicants out of unemployment. With the full £750 grant, they have been provided with essential equipment to start their businesses. A criminal record can hold back the progress of a person experiencing or at risk of homelessness, leaving them with very few options to earn money. This only increases the chances of them turning back to crime to survive. A criminal past should never stop someone from moving forward. This grant can help people experiencing homelessness gain confidence, motivation for work, and ensure that they…

Providing Identification

Providing Identification

Something as simple as owning a form of I.D can be a crucial step in escaping homelessness permanently. Driving licences, passports and birth certificates are easily lost or stolen when someone is sleeping rough and are extremely difficult to replace without a permanent address. Give DIFFerently supports access to I.D for people experiencing homelessness in Cardiff and has already provided four forms of identification to those who were struggling without it. Owning a form of identification allows access to crucial government services that we’re all entitled to. It’s needed to get a job, open a bank account, receive benefits and secure affordable housing. Without these vital services, breaking away from homelessness is almost impossible. The main barrier to obtaining I.D for a person experiencing homelessness can be a lack of money. The average cost of a driving license in the UK is £34-£43, depending on whether you apply online or…

Securing basic furniture

Securing basic furniture

After living on the streets, in emergency accommodation, hostels or sofa-surfing, it could be easy to think that being granted permanent housing is the ultimate fix for someone experiencing homelessness. However, in the case of someone being granted housing, it’s quite likely that it will be unfurnished with no basic amenities like a bed, oven or fridge. Several of our large grants have helped individuals and families to secure basic furniture and white goods in order to make their accommodation into a comfortable home. Living in a furnished home can make a real difference for someone moving away from homelessness. Being safe and secure whilst at home helps to build stability in life and could be the deciding factor in them staying away from homelessness for good.

Wayne’s story

Wayne’s story

Wayne received the first ever Give DIFFerently grant. His experience of homelessness started at the age of 15, when his parents lost their family home. For the next 25 years, he repeated a cycle of homelessness, addiction and prison until he reached a tipping point which forced him to admit himself into a treatment centre. “I had lost the use of my right leg and left arm due to my substance misuse and was in a bad way. I knew I couldn’t carry on, so went to The Wallich for help, and they put me in touch with The Salvation Army. From there I went into sheltered accommodation. I decided enough was enough and sought help for my addiction.” Wayne has been sober since 2014, and in that time has completed countless courses to improve his employability including qualifications in English, Maths, and counselling. However, despite doing lots of volunteering,…

Card it FOR Cardiff

Over the last three weeks in March, donations for the Give DIFFerently campaign were collected via contactless technology at our interactive display in Cardiff city centre. For every tap at the contactless pay point, £2 will be put towards small grants for those who are currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Thanks to the Four Acre Trust, your £2 will become £4, doubling your donation.

Our grant making

The Give DIFFerently fund is managed by the Community Foundation in Wales.

Give DIFFerently is dedicated to making sure the money donated by the general public helps change the lives of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. FOR Cardiff has committed to covering all administration and transaction fees so that 100% of donations go to the fund.

10% of donations is ring-fenced for organisations working with those at risk of Adverse Childhood Experiences to prevent the next generation from becoming homeless or having to resort to street-based activities such as begging.

Organisations can apply for grants of up to £750 for individuals and applications are assessed by a panel overseen by the Community Foundation in Wales.

Examples of potentially successful applications could include:

  • Appropriate clothing for interviews and/or employment
  • A bike to get to a new job
  • Training/course fees
  • Fare to visit estranged family
  • Furniture/household items for a rough sleeper who has moved into a tenancy
  • Counselling
  • Work materials/equipment

Please email info@forcardiff.com if you would like to apply for a grant.

Grants applications of up to £250 will be turned around in five working days and decided on internally by the Community Foundation in Wales. Grants of £250-£750 take 10 working days to process and will be decided on by panel.

Process times are subject to the return of the offer letter and signature of the terms and conditions by the support worker and individual.

Once awarded, grants are handled and monitored by the organisations who applied – cash will never be given directly to the service user – and proof of purchase is required. It is up to the organisation to work with people to spend that money in a reasonable timeframe.

FOR Cardiff, the Business Improvement District for Cardiff is funding the Give DIFFerently campaign so that the money donated by the general public can go towards helping those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Contactless giving

Give DIFFerently provides an alternative way to give to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness – contactless giving is just one of these ways.

You can find the contactless payment point at Cardiff Central Library where you can donate £3 to the Give DIFFerently fund.

Research is showing that over the next ten years less than a quarter of people will carry cash on a regular basis. Give DIFFerently provides an opportunity to think differently about how people can donate to the homeless when they feel compelled.

Most importantly, by giving through contactless technology the charities who distribute the money can ensure it goes towards helping people stay off the streets for good.

FOR Cardiff, the Business Improvement District for Cardiff is funding the Give DIFFerently campaign so that the money donated by the general public can go towards helping those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.