Welcome to Faith in Action Merton Homelessness Project (FiA)

Faith in Action

Hello. We are Faith in Action Merton, and our mission is to help the local homeless by running a Drop-In to welcome the homeless and vulnerably housed.

Andy the Manager

On reception at the Merton Homeless Drop-In. There is a warm welcome and a hot meal for all, and help with getting the right certificates, job centre registration, and finding accommodation.

Service user with staff member

Caroline having a conversation outside the Merton Homeless Drop-In

Lunch, and meeting people

Service users enjoy a freshly-cooked lunch

Lunch at the Homeless Drop-In

Our lunches are renowned for being tasty and nutritious, and we have two teams of cooks working hard to make something special for our service users

Friday kitchen volunteers

cook a high-quality lunch for service users

Wednesday kitchen volunteers

cook a high-quality lunch for our service users

Internet access

enables our service users to register with the Job Centre and helps them move on

Laundry

We have two washing machines and a drier for service users’ clothes

Clothing

We receive many generous clothing donations, and clothes are available for service users who need them

Volunteers

help out in all sorts of capacities – and have a great time whilst doing so!

Volunteering

Our volunteers lend a caring and non-judgmental ear. For many of our Drop-In users, this is the first time they have been properly listened to in a long time.

Drop-In staff

Angela and Caroline are project workers at the Merton Homeless Drop-In

Fund-raising

We are grateful to those who run all sorts of fund-raising events, from sleep-outs to quiz-nights like this one.

Sponsored sleepout

Bedding down for the night in sub-zero temperatures – for a good cause this time. But for many of our Drop-In visitors this is a regular, unavoidable and dangerous experience.

Every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, Merton Faith in Action runs the Merton Homeless Drop-in with the help of volunteers. On average about 65 homeless and vulnerably housed people attend each session. These are mainly men, and a few women, for whom little other help is available. About half of them are sleeping rough.

As well as a warm and friendly welcome they can get a high-quality hot lunch, internet access and help with filling in on-line forms, and help with moving on. We provide help with addictive and other behaviour problems too. Here is more about what Merton Homeless Drop-in offers.

Venue: the Merton Homeless Drop-In takes place at the Salvation Army Hall, 109 Kingston Road, London SW19 1LT.

Resources: Here are a variety of resources providing information about the work of the Drop-In.

Donations needed

We are a charity and rely on your support to maintain this essential work. Please help.
Support the ‘Square Meal Appeal’ every month.

£5 pays for two Square Meals
£10 pays for razors for two weeks to enable service users to shower and shave
£17 pays the cost of one average service user’s day at the Drop-In
£30 pays for two new, warm sleeping bags which we give out to those rough sleeping
£50 pays for a month’s worth of the warm socks and underclothes our service users need
£100 pays for a UK passport, providing ID needed for job applications.

Contribute via JustGiving, or contact us to make a donation or join our regular supporters list. Larger amounts gratefully received. Fundraising events are welcome too. See the Donate page.

Donate supplies We can receive donations when the Drop-In is open, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am to 3pm.
>> Download FiA useful donations.

Faith in Action on Twitter
See Twitter for the latest from the Merton Homeless Drop-In.

Video produced by media students at Brooklands College, Weybridge
This 4-minute film tells the story of Ryan, a homeless young man who visits the Faith in Action Merton Homeless Drop-In. Click on the video below.

Twitter

Tweets by Merton Drop In