GroceryAid’s 2019 Impact Report has revealed a sharp rise in the number of people receiving support from the charity. GroceryAid helped 15,784 people in need last year, an 8% increase overall.
Crisis grants, which are typically needed when someone is suffering a short-term crisis such as being off sick or following a relationship breakdown, saw spend increase by 40%, highlighting the number of working colleagues living on a financial tightrope. Ninety-two percent of all crisis grants made during the year were to those of working age.
The Impact Report also recorded a rise in emotional and practical support over the year, with a 10% growth in use of the charity’s confidential Helpline service. Notable rises here included 35% more colleagues seeking financial advice and 24% more accessing Law Express support.
For a second successive year employers were GroceryAid’s primary referrer, as industry awareness of the charity continues to grow.
Mandi Leonard, GroceryAid Welfare Director said: “Sometimes life throws a curve ball and when it does GroceryAid is here to provide emotional, practical or financial support to help navigate through those difficult times. GroceryAid works closely with senior HR Directors across the sector to ensure that programmes are relevant to colleagues needs while complimenting the work they do within their own organisations.”
To help colleagues facing difficulties GroceryAid has recently introduced two new services. In April GroceryAid launched a Health and Wellbeing resource supporting a diverse range of topics across the pillars of mind, body and behaviour. In June the charity unveiled its Workplace Critical Incident Support service providing access to onsite visits by professional counsellors to support individuals who have witnessed or been the victim of a traumatic incident at work. This important initiative has been made possible thanks to the support of the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust.
