The MK Community Foundation is a grant making charity focusing on making an impact on local lives by supporting charities and organisations across Milton Keynes. Through our grant making programmes, we help some of the most disadvantaged people across our communities, while helping to create a stronger sense of community across Milton Keynes.
Why the community needs usThe Milton Keynes Community Foundation is an independent charity working for and at the heart of Milton Keynes. We connect people and resources to projects and ideas to create positive change and long term solutions for our communities.
Our impact on the communityThrough our work with local charities we help people from all different walks of life, and award grants to new and existing projects that tackle issues and causes ranging from homelessness, to nurturing artistic and creative talent.
Surviving Winter
Many people in Milton Keynes have to choose between heating and eating during the winter months. With the Covid-19 pandemic, this season will be even more challenging. Many will be spending more time at home as they self isolate, which will mean even higher heating bills than normal, and more time feeling isolated and lonely.
Since March, levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness have risen, with more people reaching out for mental health support than ever before. With a rising number of Coronavirus cases being reported, and local lockdowns increasing, this is only set to get worse.
With your help, we can help them stay warm, safe and well.
Your donations will help us make sure vulnerable people across the borough of Milton Keynes have the support they need to get through the winter. Our latest Vital Signs report has highlighted that continued support is needed. Your donations will enable us to support organisations supporting important issues including:
- Mental Health Support - YiS Milton Keynes had the most referrals for counselling ever recorded over a 3-month period (April – June 2020), with 180, compared to the 86 they received in 2019 over the same period.
- Support for older people - Age UK MK saw an increase of 153% (23 to 58) in their befriender service between March and June 2020, with many callers expressing feelings of loneliness.
- Food provision - MK Foodbank provided 11,400 food parcels in 2019, equivalent to 950 per month. Between March and July 2020, they gave out over 12,400 food parcels, an average of 2480 every month.
- Supporting those experiencing domestic violence - The period April – July 2020 compared with April 2018 – March 2019 saw an increase in Domestic Violence from 2.6 to 10.7 per 1000 population or household according to Thames Valley Police data.
