We would like to say the biggest thank you to Nottingham city centre’s Burger King team for coming into our hostel to donate 128 chocolate gifts and several dinner sets – just in time for Christmas lunch!
The incredible generosity of staff members at the fast food branch helped make Christmas dinner extra special for our formerly homeless residents who live at Nottinghamshire YMCA’s supported accommodation on Shakespeare Street.
“We wanted to give our community’s most vulnerable members a reason to smile over the winter holidays,” said Burger King staff member Tania, who organised the donation appeal and hand-delivered car-loads of contributions along with her colleague.
“Christmas can be quite a painful time when you aren’t surrounded by a strong family network, and hopefully our efforts made a positive difference. My step-sister works at the YMCA hostel, and it is very clear how important this cause really is for the hundreds of people the charity supports.
“Helping someone rebuild their independence after homelessness is not just about putting a roof over their head – it’s about giving them the morale and feeling of self-worth needed to make positive life decisions.”
When Tania worked at Subway, she lead the charge on contributing food to the hostel on Christmas Eve for residents to enjoy during the festivities. This year, Tania’s charitable energy was out in force once again as she inspired her team to raise donations for the YMCA and children’s hospital wards across Nottingham.
The kind-hearted support of local businesses cannot be understated and everyone at Nottinghamshire YMCA is deeply grateful for the company’s wonderful efforts.
We warmly welcome any support from community organisations, particularly as even the smallest gift or one-off volunteer day can leave a lasting positive impact on the lives of our residents along their road to regaining independent living.