Residents keen to help Reading’s homeless can now do so effortlessly via the new Tap for Reading initiative launching today.
The scheme is designed to ensure donations from the public reach those most in need whilst helping to deter begging on the streets, by encouraging people to change their method and desire to help the homeless by giving at a number of card tap points around the town centre.
The tap points can be found at locations including The Oracle, Broad Street Mall and Reading Station, and provide residents with an easy way to help the homeless through official channels. The locations for all donation points, more information on how the money will be spent and how to donate online if you can’t make it to a tap point, can be found at www.reading.gov.uk/tapforreading
Tap for Reading donations are divided equally between the four charities involved in Reading’s Homelessness Partnership – Launchpad Reading, The Salvation Army, St Mungo’s and YMCA Reading – to provide practical support to people who are, or have been, rough sleeping in Reading. They will ensure that essential items such as clothing, food, specialist courses, travel to appointments, kitchen items and furnishings to make a home, and ID support to open bank accounts, register with doctors and dentists, are received by those most in need. The use of Tap for Reading donations is overseen by trained professionals to get individuals off the streets and back on their feet by directing the funds to providing the most appropriate support for them personally.
By supporting the Tap for Reading scheme instead of giving direct to people on the streets, residents will also be helping to minimise begging, which at times can be aggressive and intimidating to those in the town centre. The public needs to be aware that there are no guarantees that those begging are homeless or that they will spend the money on essential items. So whilst it can seem like the kindest thing to do, giving money directly often means those most in need of genuine support do not receive help, at the expense of people who might not be homeless but may practice begging for other reasons.
100% of the money donated will go to the council’s homelessness charity partners who will ensure that funds donated are used for what is needed directly and precisely to help Reading’s homeless population.