Nine out of 10 charities are concerned about the impact of rising costs on the people and groups they help. And now these same charities are facing a crisis of their own, according to the Kirklees One Community Foundation.

The grant-making foundation supports hundreds of small local community projects and charities every year, many of which are now struggling as they help people through the cost-of-living crisis.

In response the foundation has announced they will be stepping up their financial support for local projects, matching donations pound-for-pound under the Cost of Living Crisis Fund.

Emma Woods-Bolger, CEO at One Community Foundation, said: “From talking to the community projects and charities working across the Kirklees area, we know that rising food and energy prices, triggered by the highest inflation in 40 years and coming on top of the pandemic, is biting hard for many people.

“We know that the demand for support is increasing faster than charities can keep up with. Many are being inundated with calls seeking help. We know a local food bank ran out of food at one point, which is how desperate the situation is becoming.”

Emma added: “We know that the charities responding to this crisis are themselves deeply concerned about how they keep the lights on, pay increasing utility bills and supply food, when we have seen all these things shoot up in price.

“That is why we have decided to extend the remit of the quarterly grants programme to help with the cost of essentials such as food and toiletries, clothing, utilities, travel costs and volunteer expenses incurred by community groups, charities and social enterprises.”

The charity is appealing to any local businesses which want to support local charities to partner with the charity and donate to the fund.

By donating now, a donation will be matched by the charity doubling the amount available and increasing the number of community projects and charities they can help.

Emma added: “If we see community projects closing because they can’t afford to switch on the oven to offer a meal for those who are struggling to afford to feed themselves and their families, or projects closing because they can’t heat the room they host a dementia café in, or food banks closing because they can’t turn the lights on in the room they use to pack the bags of donated food, then who will be there to help the most vulnerable?”

To find out how you can help email Emma@One-community.org,uk or donate online via https://localgiving.org/appeal/costoflivingcrisis/

How One Community Foundation helped connect DG Scott Electrical with Hive Community Cafe in Huddersfield