Two North London charities that support vulnerable and isolated people have received donations totalling £15,000 from Amazon’s corporate offices in Holborn and Shoreditch to help them continue to support the local community during COVID-19.
The donations were made after members of the Amazon team nominated Shelter from the Storm and North London Cares to benefit from a special COVID-19 support initiative as part Amazon’s programme to support the communities around its operating locations across the UK.
Shelter from the Storm is a free emergency night shelter in London providing accommodation, meals and services to 38 people every night of the year.
Amazon’s £10,000 donation will support existing initiatives like lateral flow testing during COVID-19 and the provision of English lessons for guests staying at the centre. The donation will also be put towards providing bicycles and technology for guests to use for free.
North London Cares seeks to reduce isolation and loneliness by bringing together older and younger communities and bridging gaps across social, generational, digital and cultural divides.
The charity plans to use its £5,000 donation to fund the initiatives to bring older and younger communities together such as social clubs, a friendship matching scheme and outreach projects like the Winter Wellbeing project. These projects have become vital during lockdown for those with reduced social contact, particularly among groups that are shielding due to health conditions.
Speaking on the donations, Katie Bucher, Amazon in the Community UK Lead, said:
“We’re proud to support organisations that are making a real difference in our community like Shelter from the Storm and North London Cares. The staff and volunteers at the charities have been a great support to the people in North London during COVID-19 and we want to lend a helping hand with these donations.”
Sheila Scott, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Shelter from the Storm, said:
“Like all charities, our services have never been needed more than they are now. Amazon’s support is hugely appreciated and will enable us to continue to reach and help people in our community. Thank you to Katie and the team in London for this donation.”
Community donations are one of a number of ways in which Amazon is supporting communities across the UK during COVID-19.
Throughout the pandemic, Amazon has teamed up with charity partner Magic Breakfast to help deliver more than three and a half million healthy breakfasts to disadvantaged children around the UK. The company has also provided students with free online STEM resources and supported virtual classrooms with no-cost resources from Amazon Web Services.
