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The faith based Routes To Roots provides assistance to families and individuals that are struggling. The charity, also called Christian Action on Homelessness, has a drop in centre in which the homeless and people living in poverty can get advice and basic needs met. A key aim is to offer food, shelter, and housing, but other support is also provided by the organisation.

The drop in centre is at 5 Skinner Street, which is the United Reformed Church. Volunteers and staff at this location will provide assistance to the needy from those sites. While the hours can vary, the centre is open Tuesdays and Friday evening as well as Monday and Thursday PM. Volunteers from the charity will offer everything from signposting to direct aid.

Assistance provided to the vulnerable from Routes To Roots

The charity relies on donations from the community. Some examples of the programmes and services that can be provided as as follows.

• Free meals for the homeless and those in food poverty. There can also be drinks, lunches, and maybe even a small parcel of food given to clients, including people that are sleeping rough from Poole.
• Soup runs are also done by churches local to Poole. This occurs each night, and Christian Action on Homelessness and its partners serve hot food, drinks, and snacks under the Arch near Poole Train Station. Some even have special Christmas meals for the homeless and people in poverty in Dorset.
• Clothing such as winter coats, socks, boots and more is provided at Routes To Roots. There may also be items for employment. There may also be sleeping bags and support packs offered as well.
• Housing, which will include emergency shelter in Dorset County and then ongoing support. When the client is stabilized, they can get help in applying for payment programmes such as for rent from benefits or a bond guarantee scheme for the deposit from the council.

Ongoing support and advice is a key aim of R2R, as this will help end the cycle of homelessness. They will also involve other churches and agencies in Dorset County in this activity, and signpost people to local charity schemes when that may be the best option. As resources are limited and there is only so much that Routes To Roots can do on their own.

This Outreach can include everything from housing benefits to rent deposit schemes and job placement. The aim is to provide short term crisis support and help the person gain Independence over the long term and end dependency on welfare or other aid. So partnerships are important to this process.

Any advice given is tailored to the client and address their individual needs. So the volunteer and team leaders from Routes To Roots address all challenges being faced by the client and try to provide them opportunities for work or even volunteering if need be.

Routes To Roots, or R2R, tries to help the disadvantaged meet their most basic needs on their own, therefore ending dependency. This is a goal for people of all faith’s and ages, whether Christian or even a client is elderly. Independent living and housing are stressed.

The main office of Routes To Roots is at 5 Skinner Street, Poole, BH15 1RQ, phone 01202 667880. Whether someone needs food, housing, or other aid from the charity, they can use the drop in centre for advice and support.