More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Rotarians are backing a centre for the homeless.
Dover Outreach Centre at Victory House, Snargate Street, is looking to develop new projects such as creating affordable homes, a community café, and drugs rehabilitation centre.
Now Dover Rotary Club has set up an online crowdfunding page to help this and Outreach's existing work.
The JustGiving page by yesterday (Tuesday) raised £1,020, which is 40% of a £2,500 target.
The Rotarian's introduction on the page says: "We need the help of our local Dover community to help us support the Outreach Centre, which supports the homeless in our local community. "
Outreach is planning to open its Sunrise community café, next to its Snargate Street centre and offices, on July 3 this year. Customers will be able to pay what they can afford.
This summer it also wants to open its Move On Houses, a next step from supported accommodation.
Work is being done with Dover's St Paul's RC Church to develop up to 15 flats on land it owns.
In addition Outreach aims to open a rehabilitation centre, primarily for drug users, next year.
For this it is looking for two houses in rural east Kent for up to 16 people.
Finally, it wants to start developing affordable homes, starting in 2022/23, and is liaising with a local developer and Dover District Council to do this.
Dover Outreach Centre is a charity, which was set up in July 2016 to help the homeless and those threatened with homelessness.
It says the needs of some clients are complex as many struggle with alcohol and drug dependency following some form of trauma in their lives.
Outreach provides a day centre during weekday mornings for rough sleepers and sofa surfers.
That provides breakfasts, showers, laundry facilities, lockers, a postal address and access to a mental health professional.
It also gives free use of a telephone, access to computers, help with CV writing, benefits advice and signposting to other agencies.
The day centre first opened on September 26, 2016, and has since helped to house 178 people and found work for 54.
Outreach also has a winter night shelter for up to 15 rough sleepers a night and is open during the three or four coldest months of the year.
This is set up in different venues each evening, usually church buildings.
Outreach also set up a social enterprise in July 2017, offering training and mentoring and a route back into regular employment.
In April 2019 the organisation began its Victory House supported accommodation at its Snargate Street building.
It has 17 single occupancy en-suite rooms, a shared kitchens and laundry and a three-bedroomed self-contained flat. Residents occupy rooms for up to two years.
The JustGiving page is open until May 31 and to donate, go to justgiving.com/campaign/rotaryoutreach
