Families in Harrow Get Help with Cost of Living Crisis Thanks to Charity Partnership

Schools in Harrow were desperately seeking support for their families who were struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. The group formed together to respond to this, with funding provided by DVS Foundation and Harrow School.

The partnership worked with schools to identify and nominate their most financially vulnerable families to receive the voucher. Each school was offered to select three families, and they each received £250 of retail vouchers of their choosing.

The scheme was launched in December, just in time for those families who were worrying about the financial pressures around Christmas, and finished in March 2023. During that time, 46 schools took part, and a total of 129 families received £250 each to spend at a store of their choice.

Jackie O'Hanlon, Family Liaison & Deputy Safeguarding Lead at Shaftesbury High School, said:“As a school, I would like to say a massive thank you on behalf of the families that benefited from the cost of living voucher scheme at Christmas. This enabled them to enjoy the festive season without having to worry for the day about what food they could buy. Some of our families have been struggling for a while and some are living in hotels. Having some extra treats was really appreciated."

Dan Burke, CEO of Young Harrow Foundation, said: “When a crisis is happening around us, it’s been so important to work with organisations like DVS Foundation and Harrow School who want to respond quickly and flexibly to help those that most need it, when they most need it.

This year has seen an increase in our work directly with schools, with this project being an important milestone in our mission to enable schools and charities to work closer together to support the most vulnerable families .”

Priyan Shah, from DVS Foundation, said: "Being able to pool funds and work in collaboration with others allowed us to reach more people and understand needs more effectively than we could have alone. We're proud of what this partnership has achieved - the impact on families and key learnings that will help inform and shape future funding decisions."

For more information about support and activities for children and young people in Harrow, visit http://www.youngharrowfoundation.org