A practical and positive response .

For over 150 years, Quaker Social Action has sought to respond quickly to the needs of people on low incomes in the UK. Sometimes needs change slowly. Sometimes, like now, they change at lightning speed.

Those living on low incomes are being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Many families and communities were already struggling to make ends meet, working in jobs where hours are not guaranteed and wages low, or caring for vulnerable family members. Now they are having to deal with the lockdown and its social and economic implications.

As an anti-poverty charity, we must step up and take on this unprecedented challenge, but we cannot do this without your support.

Demand for our funeral poverty helpline has increased by 117% as we support families struggling with funeral costs amid the outbreak . The young adult carers we work with have been seriously affected; unable to provide care to family members as normal, and many losing employment . Lockdown restrictions have meant that our face-to-face financial resilience workshops have been halted but the need for expert guidance hasn't gone away . The people we work with are telling us that on top of financial problems they are struggling with anxiety, isolation, relationship issues, sadness and loss .

Your donation to the coronavirus appeal can help us to:

- Run the only UK-wide funeral poverty helpline - your support will help us build capacity to meet increased demand from families struggling with the cost of organising a funeral

- Provide housing and ongoing one-to-one support to young adult carers through our unique Move On Up project

- Run online wellbeing and mindfulness sessions for low income east Londoners, focusing on issues brought about by the pandemic

- Share important financial information online and via one-to-one guidance sessions for families facing the long term financial implications of the pandemic

- Enable us to pivot our services to best meet the needs of our communities

With your help we can be there for them today, and on the road ahead. By making a donation to QSA, you can help people on low incomes through this crisis and beyond. Your donation will strengthen our services and enable us to find new ways to reach out with practical and positive support.

Thank you and best wishes,

Judith Moran

Director of Quaker Social Action