Christmas is a time when families gather, homes fill with warmth, and gifts are exchanged. For the people we support, it's often the hardest time of year. Many are living in poverty, without a home, far from their families, navigating the asylum or immigration system as they try to stand on their own feet.
Last winter, thanks to your support, our Emergency Relief Fund provided life-saving grants to more than 400 families and individuals. Your generosity meant people could eat, stay warm, and stay connected through one of the toughest winters we've ever faced.
This winter, the need is even greater. Glasgow remains in a housing emergency, with more than 6,000 households in temporary accommodation. Refugees are too often blamed for a crisis they didn't cause — even as many are left homeless or destitute after being granted status. Our goal is to raise £50,000 to provide urgent food, clothing, energy support, and connection to those in crisis.
Last year, our Emergency Relief Fund distributed over £134,000 in direct aid, reaching almost 1,000 people in extreme crisis across Scotland and beyond. That support included food and clothing vouchers, energy grants, sim cards, bus passes, and baby supplies. More than 2,300 people relied on our Destitution Service, and our Room for Refugees network provided 127,000 nights of safe shelter through our volunteer hosts.
This year, we are also supporting 70 recognised refugees who are Palestinian, and students trying to leave Gaza, linking them up with our refugee hosts, helping to rebuild lives and education after devastating loss. We're assisting 14 Palestinian families separated by war with family reunion support, alongside other people from Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, and Yemen. Each £1,000 donated supports at least ten families or individuals through the winter.
Behind every number is a life changed:
_ Raghad, a Palestinian student, who is being hosted through our Room for Refugees programme.
– Farzad, a refugee from Iran, moved from hotel accommodation into an unfurnished flat. A small grant helped him heat his home and start again.
– Natalia, a single mother from Ukraine, who experienced devastating loss and needed support to resettle with her son.
We expect to support up to 500 households again this winter. Your donation — big or small — will help people eat well, stay warm, and stay connected to loved ones and essential services.
👉 Donate securely online today or post a cheque to: Positive Action in Housing (Winter Appeal), 98 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 1PJ. For other ways to donate, please visit https://www.paih.org/donate
