Homelessness charity Emmaus Hull & East Riding marked its 8th birthday on Sunday 4 February by calling for kindness to support people in need, as part of an international campaign.
Emmaus Hull & East Riding provides a home, training, work opportunities and individual support to people who have experienced homelessness. The charity and their supporters are campaigning to highlight how ordinary acts of kindness can make an extraordinary difference.
Pops, one of the people supported by Emmaus Hull & East Riding, has shared how kindness has helped to turn his life around.
Pops said: “After getting a divorce after 14 years of marriage, I ended up on the streets. I committed crime to feed my bad habits. After coming out of jail, I went to a drop-in centre in Scunthorpe, which is when they introduced me to Emmaus.”
Pops is one of 30 residents supported by Emmaus Hull & East Riding, known to the charity as Emmaus Companions. When people join the residential community, they are offered the opportunity to gain skills, training, confidence, and new experiences.
Pops added: “Emmaus has given me a purpose in life, people to talk to, a lot of wisdom and knowledge. They’ve given me the chance to share and gain skills and I will be forever grateful to Emmaus for giving me that.”
Thursday 1 February marked the 70th anniversary of Emmaus founder Abbé Pierre’s Uprising of Kindness radio appeal in Paris that sparked an outpouring of generosity and positive change. 70 years on, Emmaus Hull & East Riding is part of a new international Uprising of Kindness, encouraging everyone to be more kind to people in need, your community, the environment and yourself.
Stephanie Cooper, Director of Emmaus Hull & East Riding, said: “Through the kind support people give to Emmaus Hull & East Riding, we’re able to support people in desperate need, helping them to rebuild their lives. Our 8th birthday and the Uprising of Kindness campaign is the perfect opportunity for us to shout about the power of kindness and show how everyone can make a difference to the lives of others.”
The concept of solidarity, helping others in greater need, is central to the Emmaus ethos and one which people at Emmaus Hull & East Riding embrace. In addition to its residential community, the charity also delivers an outreach service, providing direct support to people who are street homeless.
To find out more about Emmaus Hull & East Riding and how you can give your support, please visit https://emmaus.org.uk/hull
To find out more about the Emmaus Uprising of Kindness and how to get involved, visit https://emmaus.org.uk/bemorekind