Friends of the Elderly receives £500,000 support of its grants scheme

The ACT Foundation has selected Friends of the Elderly to receive a transformational £500,000 donation towards its grants service, which supports older people who are living in financial difficulty.

Starting from April 2018, The ACT Foundation will match fund Friends of the Elderly’s grants funding over a five year period, to the value of £100,000 per year. Thanks to this support from The ACT Foundation, Friends of the Elderly will be able to increase the number of older people supported by the grants service by 48% over the five years.

The ACT Foundation is a grant giving charity that seeks to improve the quality of life of those in need. It partners with several charities across the UK that have the resources to assess the need and tangible benefits of grants to individuals.

One-off grants, of an average of £300 each, offered by Friends of the Elderly help relieve the stress and worry often experienced by older people living on a very low income. One client recently told the charity: “I wish I could put into words just how much it means. The financial assistance is so reassuring. I don’t have to choose between keeping warm and eating.”

Grants are awarded towards household adaptions, the purchase and replacement of essential items, the cost of equipment to get online and utility bills. The grants service is available to older people over state retirement age living on a low income in England and Wales. Grants are offered for help with:

• Home essentials – to cover the cost of replacing everyday items, small home repairs and mobility adaptations.
• Digital connection – can be used towards the cost of equipment, such as tablets and smartphones, as well as broadband costs.
• Financial support – to help with unexpected bills and large costs, such as utility bills, funeral costs or moving fees.

Caroline Kendall, ACT’s Operations Director said: “We are delighted to have formed a new five year partnership with Friends of the Elderly.  With their expertise we will be able to reach out to many more older people who are living on a low income.  Our grant, which will be match funded by Friends of the Elderly, will help fund everyday items and small home repairs and adaptations that will go a long way to enabling people to continue living independently in their own home for longer.”

Steve Allen, Chief Executive at Friends of the Elderly said: “We are delighted that The ACT Foundation has chosen to support our grants service. This transformational donation will help us to further expand the number of older people who so desperately need our help. What is really important is that every single penny of the money given by The ACT Foundation will be distributed to recipients and for those people; it really will make a vast difference to their lives.”

• Guidance notes about eligibility for these grants can be downloaded at: http://www.fote.org.uk/our-charity-work/grants/
• More information is also available by calling Friends of the Elderly on 0330 332 1110 (Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm) or emailing hello@fote.org.uk

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