How Mustard Tree Is Still Helping The Most Vulnerable During The Coronavirus Pandemic

All of our lives have been radically altered thanks to the Coronavirus crisis, we’ve been told to social distance, remain indoors and wash our hands regularly – while this is a huge inconvenience for the vast majority of people, for charities like Mustard Tree it has become a critical, existential threat to how they help the most vulnerable people in Greater Manchester.

For years, Mustard Tree has been helping people gain new skills, get them work experience and most crucially find accommodation to make sure they are off the streets. Their community shops and food clubs (where members pay £2.50 a month for 10 food items) combined with the regular courses, classes and 1-2-1 mentoring sessions have helped countless numbers of Greater Manchester’s most vulnerable get off the streets, back into work and back to living a self-sustaining life.

The impact of the Coronavirus, however, has completely changed the way Mustard Tree is operating on a day-to-day basis and now, more than ever, they need your help. Due to social distancing guidelines, Mustard Tree has closed down 90% of their operation – their shops have shut, courses & classes have been curtailed and the charity is only opening so people can benefit from the Food Club (where strict social distancing rules are in full effect).

The main thing they are doing though is delivering food parcels to people who are vulnerable across Manchester and Salford, to people who are unable to leave their home for a number of different reasons. At the time of writing Mustard Tree is currently delivering over 100 parcels a day. And this demand has seen an increase in the number of donations needed.

What Can You Do To Help?

Mustard Tree’s food and crisis provision costs have increased exponentially since the COVID-19 lockdown began.

If you’re a person or business owner in Greater Manchester and want to help some of the city’s most vulnerable people during this pandemic then we would please ask you to consider donating to Mustard Tree.

There are plenty of ways to do so, you can donate to their Crisis Fund Just Giving page which has, as of 12th May, has raised over £14,000. Or you can donate directly through their website via Virgin Money Giving. The former page is there to subsidise the food parcel deliveries and will be removed once the nationwide lockdown has lifted and Mustard Tree can go back to operating as normal. People can also send in standing orders or they can mail through cheques in the post.

It’s important to stress that any and all donations are welcome. Mustard Tree needs your support now, while this crisis grips the nation, and after when they have to deal with the fallout from this uncertain time that we’re currently living in.

How Your Donations Could Help

• £10 could pay for toiletries for somebody rough sleeping and visiting our hubs for emergency items
• £12.50 could pay for a food parcel for a vulnerable person who is struggling during the lockdown
• £19.50 could pay for a person’s travel costs coming to our hub for support
• £100 could pay to a delivery van fuelled and running for a week