The detrimental effect of the cost-of-living crisis is impacting charitable organisations across the UK as they cannot afford to keep up with the rising public demand and additional running costs for their services.
With more charitable organisations experiencing a reduction in income compared to the start of the year, UK charity In Kind Direct are urging more organisations to join their network to get support. In Kind Direct focus on distributing consumer products, donated by companies, to charitable organisations across the UK to ensure that everyone has access to the products they need to live with dignity. They distribute a wide range of products including personal hygiene, cleaning products, clothing, children’s books and activities.
Recent research from In Kind Direct’s charitable network shows:
- 84% report demand for their services has increased since the beginning of the year
- 35% report their income from funding has decreased, meaning they are trying to support more people with even less resources
- 57% are worried about the increase of utility and travel costs which keep their services running
- Their recent YouGov survey** reveals over 1 in 3 adults in low-income families have received support from a local organisation this year.
Paul Buchanan, Interim CEO of In Kind Direct, comments: “Our charitable network of over 4,500 UK charities tell us that hygiene items like toilet roll and shower gel are always in high demand, to support families who are having to choose between eating and keeping clean. Our Powered By Kind campaign is centred around urging more charitable organisations to sign up to our network to access a wide range of high quality consumer products like personal hygiene items and clothing for example, which can be given to the people they support or used to keep their services running. Registered charities, foodbanks, community groups or schools can register here for free: www.inkinddirect.org/register ”
Charitable organisations comment on the invaluable support they receive from being part of the In Kind Direct network;
- “We provide a food and basic toiletries parcel service in south Bradford, targeting mainly isolated people living alone and young families living in poverty. In Kind Direct’s products have helped us to enhance what we offer to our local community by including basic hygiene items which in turn enhance people’s physical and emotional wellbeing.” Neighbourhood Project CIC
- “Products from In Kind Direct ensure people can live with dignity.” Help A Squaddie
- “Through our community offer service, in partnership with St Albans Community Association, we have been able to support people who have nothing at all, by creating health and wellbeing emergency packs which include shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, and sanitary products. People are often able to get food via foodbanks but they can’t get hygiene products from anywhere.” Dorothy Parkes Centre
In Kind Direct is urging more charitable organisations to join its network. If you are a registered charity, community group, foodbank or school you can register for free today to access hundreds of products to support more people in your community: www.inkinddirect.org/register