DCI Hail Homeless Outreach Programme With Asda

Emdad Rahman

Members of the Docklands Community Initiative visited their local Asda store on the Isle of Dogs Tower Hamlets to say thank you to staff at the British supermarket for help in making the winter homeless outreach programme a huge success.

Volunteers were met by Asda community champion Mary Cosgrove and manager Sadiq Talukdar.

The homeless outreach programme was launched in November to support people experiencing homelessness and has teamed up with Newark Youth, Just Smiles, Bookbike London, East End Cycles and The Kind Counter.

From November to January 646 meals have been shared with homeless people, hostels hosting homeless families and rough sleepers. This has been through organising pop up kitchens, including on Christmas Day, cycle outreach and street patrols.

DCI already run a weekly Foodbank and home delivery service for local vulnerable residents, which includes the elderly, people with poor mental health and the homeless.

Street homelessness figures continue to rise in the UK.

Gloria Johnstone, a senior volunteer at DCI commented, “We are a happy group of people and I think that’s our strength. We never complain about depleted stock or lack of items and focus on using whatever resources we have to help others smile. Thank you to Asda for believing in what we do.”