Acts 435 is a national online giving charity that directly connects those that want to help with those that have a genuine need, through a network of local churches and charities around the UK.
Levi's Story
One of Acts 435’s partner charities is Inn Churches in Bradford, who helps to provide a winter night shelter in the city, as well as other practical help for those who need it most.
One of those individuals helped through their work is Levi* who has been working through the challenge of a mental health breakdown, substance use, and a dip in his self esteem. He has been engaging with support workers to address his mindset, his looks and his attitude to his welfare and wellbeing. His washing machine was broken and, due to his low income, he couldn’t afford to replace it. Levi did not have the confidence to go to a laundrette to get his clothes washed and dried, so he was having to wash them in the sink.
Inn Churches took the referral for Levi’s need from his support worker, and posted a request for £200 for a washing machine onto the Acts 435 website. Acts 435 supporters then went onto the website and read about Levi’s need, and donated towards his request.
The support of Acts 435 donors to purchase a new washing machine meant that he could keep his clothes clean. This helped him not to feel self-conscious about his appearance and enabled him to look after himself properly.
Levi was so thankful for the gift, he wrote this wonderful message, which was passed on to our partner charity from his support worker:
“This last year has been a burden to me for many reasons, however the one aspect of life I never expected to have such weight on me is clean clothes. We take so many things for granted these days, and least of these is the ability and expectation that we keep ourselves clean. My own personal hygiene over the last few years has not met our collective standards, but always having clean clothes for appointments or meetings is a necessity I had come to regard as normal, this all changed when my washing machine broke down.
Already I am a recluse and hide away in my “cave” but knowing I have an ever-present odour I can do nothing about and knowing the closest launderette is beyond my walking distance once all that fabric is damp (as I can’t afford to fully dry all my laundry) and my friends live too far to carry my laundry to and from. It has led me to have some understanding on how very much this small aspect of our shared experience can impact our lives. To have such shame knowing how other people must have perceived me or at least my expectation of their disgust has driven me deeper into my “cave”. I have become even more of a recluse.
However, thanks to your generosity I have a new washing machine and a new appreciation of something so benign we hardly give it a thought, clean clothes. I can once again walk through a shop or go to a doctor’s appointment without worrying people will judge me unkindly for the odour of unwashed overworn clothes.
Once again Thank you so much and to all who contributed to this funding, your generosity has lifted my failing spirits greatly.
Thank you."
Acts 435 resources local partners who are seeing the everyday needs of individuals in their communities, by providing them with the ability to connect with donors who can help.
To find out more about being involved with Acts 435, either as a partner church/charity, or to donate to the requests for individuals, take a look at their website: acts435.org.uk
*The name has been changed for privacy reasons.
Image: Flickr