Beam is an initiative which helps homeless individuals crowdfund for specific goals, with the money raised funding training courses. The training varies according to the individual – past graduates have become hairdressers, to site managers, to electricians. What’s important is that Beam supports people in getting their lives back on track, and lets them leave homelessness behind – for good.
The scheme has attracted a lot of high-profile admirers, from Sadiq Khan to Richard Branson. Even better, they’ve genuinely helped many people out of homelessness.
Last Christmas, each La Fossian had a gift card to allocate to a member on the Beam crowdfunding platform. A few months later, we checked in to see how some of the people they supported are getting on with Beam’s help.
Read what we found below, and if you’d like, donate yourself via the Beam website.
La Fosse’s Chris Chandler gave his gift card to Delroi. Delroi was crowdfunding to become a project manager, with a dream of running projects that have social action at their core and make a real difference for people in the community. He has subsequently achieved his goal, and is currently in Project Management training. Delroi says: Thanks so much – still a bit stunned and digesting how fast you have made my target a reality!
Enya Quinn gave her card to Jamal, who was training to be an electrician. He has since flown through his Level 2 Diploma, with a Distinction in Electrical Installation Technology and is looking forward to completing his Level 3. Jamal posted: I’m so grateful to all of my supporters and the Beam Team for helping me through my Level 2 electrician’s training. Now being able to do my Level 3 as well – it will open up more avenues and better job prospects.
Emile Bevan supported Angel, whose dream has always been to work in fashion, and was seeing to fund a course in fashion merchandising. She started her course two weeks ago, and shared this message on the Beam platform: I’m sending a thank you to you all for helping me to make my dream into a reality!
Tony, another member of Beam, sums up the importance of the platform perfectly: “If you haven’t supported a Beam member, please consider it. There are so many people out there who have been through tough times with homelessness and other problems. They also deserve the chance to make the most of themselves.”
If you’d like to give the gift of a fresh start to someone in 2019, consider donating to Beam – even the smallest donation will make a difference to helping someone get their life back on track. Check-out their live campaigns, read some more success stories, or split your donation between everyone on the platform if you can’t decide who to support.