Siloam Community food and housing services in London

Siloam Community Services partners with other agencies across London to help individuals or families that were formerly homeless. The charity provides assistance from both a drop in centre as well as food or free meals from a community cafe. While most of the clients were homeless in the past, other families on a low income can also drop in for assistance and the volunteers will try to help them.

The two main centres are the drop in site as well as the food bank/community cafe. Each of the locations is open two days per week and the programmes run from each are different. More information on their services is below.

Food and meals from Siloam Community Services

Anyone that is facing hunger or that wants some form of companionship can drop in at the community cafe. The location is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10am – 2pm, however a free hot dinner is also served every Thursday evening.

Not only will a meal be served by the cafe, but there is also other practical support provided too. Many of the clients who need food also need other basic items. So for those that are found to be eligible, Siloam Community Services will also provide clothing as well as blankets to the homeless.

For those families on a low income that need even more than just a meal from a cafe, then the staff at Siloam can provide a voucher to a London based food bank. All of this services are combined together in an effort to help the vulnerable.

Help from the drop in centre

This is where individuals should go to for more long term support or holistic services. This is done in an effort for the client to overcome what caused them to go into poverty. Or if the applicant is homeless, then Siloam Community Services will offer this to help them address their housing needs.

Siloam Community Services Floating Support is for anyone that is facing a financial challenge. It aims to address housing issues. If someone is homeless, or if they are close to eviction, then the floating support scheme will both help a person find a new property to live in as well as provide other ongoing tenancy support.

The drop in centre provides a number of other housing services. This is mostly done as a form of free advice. Whether it is applying for benefits or locating private housing in London (which is very pricey) this service may be able to help. All of this is combined with a personal support plan as well as referrals to other housing assistance programmes in the UK.

Siloam Community offers both employment and education too. This can be a key for helping a family gain independent housing. Social workers as well as volunteers offer various forms of advice as part of this. It can be one time, or more long term mentoring.

• Clients can partner with a support worker to find employment.
• Lifeskills development or educational needs are addressed by Siloam Community Services.
• Workshops will help families on a low income with budgeting their income or addressing debts they have.
• Job training is offered by the agency, in partnership with employers and London. Or a client can volunteer to get the experience they need.

The centre is located at Lower Community Hall, Nunhead Green, Nunhead, London SE15 3RT. For more information, the phone number is 020 8695 8873.