Items reused by Single Homeless Project
Here at CAMA we are working hard to extend the lifecycle of products and look for options to reuse before we recycle. Items are sometimes reused by another company or production, but we also like to make sure that charities receive some items too. Here is the story of how a few items we had in storage that needed to go, improved someone’s quality of life.
The Single Homeless Project (SHP) is a London-wide charity that is working to prevent homelessness and help vulnerable members of society. CAMA was fortunate to be able to support them in the housing of a lovely couple, Kenny and Alisha.
Kenny became homeless in 2001 after his relationship broke down. At the time his mother was in a home suffering from dementia, and none of his other family members were in a position to help.
Alisha used to be a carer for the elderly, as well as a carer for her disabled mother. They lived together in a council house but once her mother passed away, she was hit with the bedroom tax that she couldn’t pay. She downsized but she still couldn’t cover her debt and the courts made her street homeless. She could only take what she could carry so ended up losing everything else, even her cat of 10 years
Kenny and Alisha became a couple 6 years ago. They met at a church day centre in 2015 and have since been through a huge amount together. They survived on the streets by travelling on day buses and staying in various night shelters. It was tough and they both said that they survived because they had each other.
Both were hospitalised for serious conditions, but it wasn’t until Alisha was hospitalised for a second time that a nurse referred her to an SHP night shelter. The staff at the shelter spent a few days tracking Kenny down and invited him to come and stay with Alisha.
“SHP helped us together, the first agency in 5 years that actually did something” said Kenny.
The couple stayed with SHP for 10 months and after acquiring ID, they were able to move on with the support of SHP paying their deposit and first month of rent.
The couple now live together in a home of their own. On their move-in day, CAMA was able to supply them with the essentials. Alisha mentioned that she liked shabby-chic style furniture, so they received:
- a wardrobe
- a matching shelving unit
- x2 large chest of drawers
- x5 bright chairs
- a large cabinet
- bright red sideboards
- oak dining table
- x2 matching chairs
- a microwave
- x2 extension leads.
Tara, who works for SHP and helped the couple move in, said she was able to log onto our portal and choose the items and get them delivered within 3 days.
Kenny said he’d never held keys to his own front door before.
CAMA could not be more pleased to have supported this inspiring couple, and to have reused all those items of furniture, therefore diverting them from landfill.
