What We Do - and Why
Caring Hands is a not-for-profit Day Centre for anyone who is homeless or insecurely housed. We know anyone can hit a crisis, more than ever following the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. Anyone and everyone who lacks a safe home is welcome through our doors, and can register for free meals, access to showers, clean clothing and advice, Monday to Friday 9:30am-1pm.
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Our Vision
Our aim is to end street homelessness in Chatham.
There will always be crisis situations that result in homelessness, but it shouldn’t be permanent. Homelessness is not a dead-end street – there are ways out, and Caring Hands aims to enable people to find their own solutions.
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What we do
Everyone without a safe home is welcome, and can come and have a meal. During registration we establish what kind of help people want to receive. We work with each individual to enable them set their own unique aims to overcome the difficult crisis that they are in, rebuild their confidence and find rewarding employment. We support and help people to set and achieve their own path to independent living again, using the Outcomes Star for Home. We work closely with an experienced independent counsellor to ensure that our support work is trauma-informed. Afternoon appointments can be made between 2-4pm for a confidential chat with our staff. Homelessness should only ever be a temporary crisis.
All our services are free. For a full listing of what we can help you with.
We are here to enable people to progress on their journey from crisis to coping to confidence.
Find out more about the needs in our area. We are situated in an area where homelessness is rife – Chatham is an area of severe multiple deprivation, in the worst 10% in England and Wales (ONS 2019).
Several of our staff have lived experience of homelessness, and are now inspiring others to change their lives too. And we couldn’t do it without our wonderful volunteers. READ MORE