Who we helped across South Yorkshire in 2020
Taking a look back at some inspiring campaigns when our community needed us the most
2020 will be a year we will never forget, sadly for many it won't be the most cherished as many of us had our lives and day to day routines turned upside down. COVID-19 became a worldwide pandemic which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths across the UK and many more people suffering illness from light flu symptoms to Long Covid which has a devastating impact for people with pre-existing health conditions and even people with a clean bill of health too. Lockdown saw the UK economy plummet and many businesses had to make staff redundant with millions more families taking a pay cut impacting household incomes.
All of our fundraising events and the majority of our traditional fundraising streams were also victims and our income streams decimated. Our small fundraising team had to think outside the box if we were going to help as many children as possible in a time when we were most needed.
Cash for Kids provides grants for over 40 causes from disability, cancer, young carers, community projects, basic essentials and food provisions to name a few. Traditionally we'll host 2-3 grant rounds inbetween other projects including our Schools Challenge, Sports Challenge and Mission Christmas. Our traditional grant rounds are funded by corporate and event fundraising so we made the difficult decision to suspend those grant rounds until further notice.
Despite the set back in fundraising we remained resilient. This year as the pandemic struck the region and the nation, Poverty dominated our impact report this year as we fought tirelessly to provide food and basic essentials to those who needed it the most.
Nappies - LOTS of them
We distributed thousands and thousands of nappies to help food banks, refuge's and other groups helping families with babies. Goldthorpe Development Group and YWHP share some thoughts on the project and their work:
Cash for Kids Appeal
Fundraver was the theme to this years Cash for Kids Day (replacing Superhero Day), the campaign was in its pre launch phase as the pandemic hit and we took the correct decision to cancel it. Our team worked tirelessly behind the scenes and replaced the radio campaign (which takes a project team several months to prepare) with the Cash for Kids Appeal - the team managed to turn this round in just FIVE DAYS.
We were absolutely inundated with requests for support from schools, charities, refuges and food banks as the economic toll was starting to devastate those in our communities. Those that could gave generously and many others took part in other lockdown themed fundraisers from Bingo with Neighbours to Lockdown Doorstep Photoshoots. We granted over £80,000 which is simply phenomenal. Some more reaction from those we helped:
Foodbanks
Schools
Charities
Sports Challenge
Our annual Sports Challenge has been a huge hit since its inception in 2018. We get inundated with funding requests from grass roots sports clubs desperate for funding for projects including kit, equipment, facilities development and subsidising costs for children from low income families. This campaign provides free fundraising tuition to help provide future sustainability and the groups all walk away with fantastic grants to support their projects. This year of course provided fundraising challenges, so the fact we granted out more than £15,000 shows just how amazing and deserving these groups are.
Mission Christmas
Our flagship campaign Mission Christmas felt like for a long time that it was just going to be too much to ask to pull it off, so we asked too much and found a way!
Internally we renamed it Mission Impossible, when we looked at what we were up against; 470 less drop off points to prevent gatherings, 70% less volunteers for social distancing at our HQ, restricted access to our HQ site also meant we worked with 30% less volunteer hours per day and no fundraising events, Christmas Markets or Christmas Light Switch Ons.
You need to read it to believe it, but we wrote a weekly blog and shared all the amazing things people and businesses did to make it happen. You can read the blog here.
After such a horrific year for many families and the economy incredibly fragile, we needed to end it with some good news, and thanks to you, over 19,000 children received help at Christmas.
Thank you so much to each and every one of you who helped Cash for Kids continue to achieve amazing things in 2020. It's been so humbling to provide a reminder to all the families we've helped going through the toughest times that their local community hadn't forgot about them and wanted to help.
We'd love to work with you in 2021. We're full of ideas even in restricted times. Whether you are an individual, family, your children want to fundraise or you want to get your work place involved whether you're in the workplace or working from home, please get in touch and we'll show you what your support is capable of achieving.
Email cashforkids@hallamfm.co.uk or call 0114 2091100 or look up Cash for Kids Yorkshire on Facebook.
Have a great and safe 2021 to all our supporters.
Allan & Michelle
Hallam FM Cash for Kids