Sufra Winter Appeal 2024: Sustenance, Sanctuary, Shelter
November 20, 2024
*** UPDATE: All first time donations up to £250 will be matchfunded by Aviva Community Fund ***
As winter tightens its icy grip on London, we are seeing more families than ever being pushed to the brink of hunger and homelessness.
We urgently need your help to provide emergency support to some of the most vulnerable families in London.
Since Sufra was founded, the number of people sleeping rough has more than doubled, and local councils can’t cope with the scale of need.
Sanctuary for Mary’s Family
(*Her name has been changed to protect privacy)
Last week, Mary and her four children turned up at our Community Kitchen in desperate need of hot food and a place to call home.
They explained how they were recently made homeless and are now squeezed into a single hotel room with no kitchen, no fridge, no dining table, no desk for schoolwork, and no privacy.
They were at breaking point – it was heartbreaking to hear.
Shelter over Christmas
Sadly, Mary’s story mirrors that of many others we support every week, quietly struggling to survive behind closed doors and hungry for more than just food.
A hot meal, a room for the night, a sense of community and help securing a real home —these small acts of kindness we provide at Sufra are a lifeline to families facing a bleak and isolated Christmas.
Your Impact
With your help, we can provide emergency food, shelter, warmth and hope to more people in crisis.
£10 could give a week’s worth of hot meals to a guest this winter.
£35 could provide emergency food and toiletries for a family of four.
£100 could secure emergency accommodation for a homeless person.
£250 could sponsor a Community Kitchen, which feeds up to 120 people a night.
£400 could provide longer term advice and support for a family in crisis.
Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference to someone’s life.
Why We Need Your Help
Sufra has been a beacon of hope for more than a decade, running a network of Food Banks and Community Kitchens for anyone in need.
Last year, we provided nearly 250,000 meals and supported almost 14,000 people in North West London.
We've also expanded our Community Wellbeing Service and our Advice Team to help people address the causes of poverty and crisis.
Yet, we are spending more than ever supporting families in crisis—and demand will skyrocket as nights get colder.
Christmas at Sufra
This Christmas, we will be spreading joy and hope in the community:
Distributing warm coats at our 2024 Winter Warmer Coat Drive.
Hosting our annual Christmas Dinner Party for 200 guests, complete with transportation, entertainment and the real Santa Claus.
Delivering Luxury Christmas Hampers with every emergency food parcel in the week leading up to Christmas.
Organising a Winter Wonderland Fair on St. Raphael’s Estate with food, gifts and entertainment for all ages.
Let’s help our community weather this winter with dignity and care. Together, we can make a difference—every donation, no matter the size, brings warmth and relief to those who need it most.
Latest News
Volunteer with Sufra at Christmas
We'll be hosting our annual Christmas Dinner at Ark Elvin Academy for 200 people on Christmas Day and we need your help!
Christmas Giving Calendar
Instead of receiving gifts, our advent calendar asks you to donate a different food item every day in advent.