Community Support

We provide practical help to families in Manchester who are going through a difficult period, whether that is caused by illness, bereavement, unemployment, or simply not having enough at the end of the month.

What This Looks Like

• Food and essentials for families who are struggling
• Help understanding letters, forms and official processes
• Support attending appointments where language is a barrier
• Referral to appropriate services where we are not the right people to help

Asking for Help

The families in the most difficulty are usually the ones who never come forward. If that is you, please get in touch. Nobody will discuss your situation outside the small number of people involved in helping.

If you are aware of a family who may need support but would not ask, you can tell us discreetly and we will find a considerate way to approach them.

Call 07727 874307 or contact us.

What We Can Usually Help With

• Food and essentials — where a household has simply run out before the end of the month
• Help during illness — practical support when someone cannot work or manage at home
• Bereavement — funeral arrangements, and the weeks afterwards when everyone else has gone back to normal
• Forms and letters — benefits, housing, school and council correspondence, including where English is the barrier
• Someone to come with you — to an appointment, a meeting, a hearing

What Hardship Usually Looks Like

It is rarely dramatic. More often it is a family managing month to month with nothing spare, where one thing going wrong — a boiler, a car, a reduced shift pattern — puts them behind and they cannot catch up.

People in that position tend not to ask. There is shame attached to it, particularly in a community where everyone knows each other, and it is often the family that most needs help that stays silent longest.

Please Do Not Wait Until It Is Serious

It is far easier to help a family who are a fortnight behind than one facing eviction. If you are worried about the next few weeks, that is already a good enough reason to call.

Confidentiality

Enquiries are handled by as few people as possible and are not discussed in the community. Nobody at the masjid will know you contacted us. If you would rather speak to a man or to a woman, say so and we will arrange it.

Telling Us About Someone Else

If you are aware of a family in difficulty who would never ask themselves, please tell us. We would far rather hear about a situation that turns out to be fine than miss one that is not. We will approach discreetly and we will not say who told us.

If You Want to Help

This work runs on volunteer time and on donations arranged directly with us — there is no donate button on this website. If you can give money, time, or a skill such as translation or form-filling, get in touch.