Who We Support
The Homity Trustees have no fixed agenda on awarding grants, just a commitment to provide some financial support where a strong need is identified. We will only award funds after careful consideration and due diligence by our Grants Committee, to formally registered groups who will make a big difference to their end users.
Based in central Brighton, but covering all of Sussex, we prefer to help local community groups to improve quality of life and social inclusion, and to be kept in touch with their development and progress stemming from the use of the grant.
Here are some recently funded groups showing the ever increasing needs continuing on from the COVID pandemic and now addressing the extra influence of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Just Friends
This energetic organisation, originally based in Eastbourne but now at numerous sites across Sussex, is aimed at organising outings and social events for those who find loneliness a life issue. There is No Age Limit, No Membership Fee and No Expectation, which is a lovely approach.
Homity recently provided a nice ‘extra’ event through their Community membership at Wakehurst Place in East Sussex. This sister site to the famous Kew Gardens is a haven of rolling and wooded peacefullness with an historic manor house and numerous cafes!! The group of 22 led by Jeanette had a great time exploring at their leisure whilst dodging the autumn showers. This type of wellbeing is something that brings great health and social benefits especially to the more senior amongst us… we look forward to helping with more adventures soon.
Pelican Parcels - new Hub
June‘25 update - After much hard work the new 3 x larger warehouse HQ has been fitted out and opened its (much wider!) doors, allowing for increased efficiency of clothing and furniture deliveries and a much improved working environment, a HUGE handclap all round.
We are proud to have supported this incredible group since their formation and so the recent decision to award them with our special 10th anniversary grant was a reflection of how they best match our desire to give funding that will make a BIG difference. This money has been matched by another local charitable foundation along with significant donations from other Sussex based Trusts too, which is amazing. The charity provides emergency and ongoing support from their Hove warehouse. They take in pre-loved and new item donations for babies and children up to age 12, and redistribute them to families facing financial hardship via various existing family services across Brighton & Hove.
“It was such a fantastic moment being unexpectedly given this significant grant from The Homity Trust! We are incredibly grateful for this support and belief in our charity’s mission and the difference it will make to the lives of local families” Shelley Bennett, Pelican Parcels founder.
Pelican parcels new HQ
The Old Boat Community Centre
Community Hub
Under the human fount of knowledge and energy, otherwise known as Reyna, the whole team and atmosphere at the centre is incredible. This truly is the epitome of a community hub in the Carden Hill area of North Brighton. The immediate sensation is of busy, happy people helping each other. From food and hygiene needs, to clothes exchange, soft play and a dementia cafe, this place delivers it all with great cakes too! We have recently supplied regular drip funding to allow some extra funds to be used where and when most needed to address existing or new ideas and issues. Trustees are confident that this funding is being used to its maximum and delivering the Homity message of small amounts making a big difference.
Dentaid, the dental charity.
We are pleased to continue regular support for Dentaid the team that provides dental care and oral health advice for people experiencing homelessness, harm, poverty and abuse. This hidden issue is particularly acute amongst those marginalised in the community and we visited them on a recent treatment morning at the Brighton Friends, Families and Travellers site. Run expertly by Sophia, alongside Mel and the numerous volunteers including specialist emergency dentists giving their time for free, it is a chance to bring something we take for granted to those unable to access vital care especially at a younger age. A very professional and impressive set up that relies on donations for all their running costs and our small but regular unrestricted funding helps with day to day expenses
The staff of Dentaid in their mobile treatment unit with our manager Richard.
Crawley Open House
Trustee Marcus recently visited this amazing resource in Crawley, meeting with
Ian and his team to see the continuing delivery of first response, and longer term, homelessness care. It is a haven of resouces and a warm welcome for those struggling from a recent change in their life circumstances for whatever reason. The site has expanded enormously over the years and now incoporates a drop in advice hub with food & clothes bank, job and benefits advice, bike workshop and full on cafe and kitchen facilities too! In an area poorly served by charitable enterprises it stands out as a gem of an organisation and we are so happy to continue our support for their work even if in a small way, most recently supplying new bedding for their 24 on site residents.
Brighton Food Partnership Community Kitchen
Kate and Richard both enjoyed taking part in one of the community kitchens regular hands on batch cookery sessions. The briliantly equipped central Brighton kitchen is enthusiastically managed by Jess and Jo and their merry team who take a dozen local vulnerable guests through the use of oversupplied or waste fresh food and turn out amazing cheap but oh so tasty dishes that can be used over several meals. This low cost and fun approach was really enjoyed by everyone and we are proud to help with the running costs for several more planned events into ‘25. Yum!
