When you're faced with what seems like an insurmountable problem, what do you do? Walk away shaking your head because the challenge seems too great for you to tackle alone? Or grab hold of the nearest edge and give it a good pull...

The boaztrust's activities are currently focused on three areas:

Accommodation

:: Setting up houses for the destitute, adopted and supported by churches. Currently we accommodate 20 African men and women in 4 houses, with plans to expand the boazhouse network.

:: Setting up a network of boazhosts offering emergency accommodation.
We believe that it works best if groups like churches share the burden and responsibility of care.

Destitution Projects

:: Working with the Red Cross to set up projects across the region. Currently there are 6 projects in operation (Old Trafford, Salford, Oldham, Bolton, East Manchester and Longsight) providing food parcels and £5 cash each week to over 300 people. A new project is in the pipeline for Ashton under Lyne, and we would like to set up more in other areas.

:: Encouraging churches and other faith groups to supply food and other necessities for the projects.

Awareness Raising and Campaigning

:: Developing a North West Christian Refugee Network as a regional expression of ECSR (Enabling Christians in Serving Refugees).

:: Arranging events and speaking engagements to inform, challenge and mobilise support.

:: Encouraging individuals to befriend and support the destitute both practically and financially.

:: Working with organisations like Church Action on Poverty (CAP) to campaign for changes in asylum legislation. The current CAP Living Ghosts campaign highlights the plight of the destitute. Over 170 people from across the country attended the Living Ghosts Destitution conference in Manchester earlier this month, most of them activists dedicated to tackling the problem in their area.

>> Use the response form to let us know how you could get involved in a boazproject.

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