HOMELESS charities and the council have set up a single payment point for donations.
‘Change into Action’ is a scheme to support homeless charities through one webpage.
Money will go to Feeding Coventry, which can redistribute funds to other agencies based on their needs.
Councillors and the regional mayor Andy Street launched the charity fundraiser on Friday (February 28).
They want to ‘eliminate’ street homelessness by 2022.
But they say ‘there remains challenges in getting people who are sleeping on the street to engage with outreach workers and agencies.’
Coun Tariq Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “In Coventry we want to help people who are street homeless to build a positive life that will aid recovery.
“There are shelters where people can get a bed, shower and food and drink but for different reasons we all witness people sleeping rough or begging on the street.
“Eliminating street homelessness in Coventry remains a key priority for the Council.
“Bringing together the existing generosity of the public and the commitment of different agencies is a productive step forward in tackling homelessness.
“We want to really see the donation page take off. It’s important to be able to let people know where rough sleepers are benefiting from the money raised.”
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “The only way we are going to be able to ‘design out’ homelessness – the aim of the West Midlands Homelessness Task Force – is by facing up to our moral responsibility and working collaboratively.
“With that in mind I am pleased that Coventry City Council has become the latest authority to work with the West Midlands Combined Authority and adopt the Change into Action scheme. The scheme represents an alternative way to give, with people knowing that their donation will really make a difference to the lives of those who are sleeping rough or who are at risk of doing so.
“The battle to end homelessness has been incredibly difficult, but it feels like we are finally making progress. Change into Action has played a positive part in this, and I hope we will be able to roll it out across the rest of the West Midlands in due course.”
Figures for the charity’s fundraising in Birmingham, launched in 2019, show a total raised of £60,993.
The money will be used to provide services, clothes and housing help to the homeless.
£40,000 has been paid out already, the West Midlands Combined Authority said.
Donations to support homelessness charities in Coventry can be made via changeintoaction.org.uk/coventry.
