Dear Mr Shah and the Trustees,
I hope this letter finds you safe and well.
December 14th 2022
It’s my pleasure to reach out today to confirm receipt a grant from the Koolesh Shah Family Foundation, which we received this morning. I want to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude for your choosing to support St Mungo’s with such a generous gift, especially during this incredibly challenging time for people experiencing homelessness.
Over the coming months, the cost of living crisis will cause hundreds of people to lose their housing, with many having no other choice but to sleep on the streets. In the last three months alone, the number of people sleeping rough in London has risen by a devastating 21%.
But St Mungo’s are responding. Our outreach teams will be out on the streets every night this winter to provide emergency support and accommodation to those who are out in the cold. We will stay with them from this point onwards, supporting our clients to improve their health, skills and confidence as they recover from homelessness, and working with them to find safe, secure long-term housing. Last year, we supported 24,935 people in the journey away from homelessness.
With your support, St Mungo’s will be there this winter to help people spend their last night on the streets, and their first night of a new life.
I would love the opportunity to meet with you in person, to learn more about the philanthropic priorities of the Koolesh Shah Foundation and discuss St Mungo’s work in more detail. This would also be a chance for you to see first-hand some of the wonderful work that you are supporting. If this would be of interest, perhaps we can look into setting something up in the New Year.
With very best wishes,
Lucy McGeachin
Senior Trusts & Grants Fundraiser lucy.mcgeachin@mungos.org