This week Emmaus Hull & East Riding unveiled their new Outreach Pod. The formerly used 20ft shipping container has been transformed into a new office for the organisation’s outreach team with the support of VIP Communications.
Emmaus Hull & East Riding provides a home, support, and meaningful work for people with experience of homelessness. The charity generates income from the sale of second-hand goods at three shops on Whitefriargate, Newland Avenue and Lockwood Street.
The organisation has been providing an outreach service for Hull and East Riding City Council since 2016 and the team is made up of full-time members of staff and companions who have previously been homeless themselves.
Previously the outreach team, who support people throughout Hull and East Riding who are sleeping rough, have been based all over the community. Now with this dedicated space, the team can all be together and have a hub for their important work.
Casey Fawcett, Outreach Team Leader, said: “After a challenging few years with the outreach team not having its own base, it is great to all be back together again in our own space in which we can call home. We’re so grateful to VIP Communications for their support.”
The new office will allow the team to be more efficient and reach more vulnerable people. Last year, the outreach service supported over 800 people sleeping rough through signposting, referrals and simply reaching out to people.
The pod is located next to the Emmaus Superstore and includes two storage rooms for supplies, including water bottles, ponchos, cold weather essentials and a main office room for the team members to complete referrals.
Chris from VIP spoke at the pod’s launch: “We have loved helping Emmaus Hull & East Riding with securing a great new workplace for their outreach teams. The project was a challenging one, but with the help of all the great companies involved along the way, we managed to get the job done. We want to say a huge thank you to all the companies who kindly donated to this amazing cause. We wish everybody at Emmaus Hull & East Riding every success for the future.”