Aberdeen Standard Investments Charitable Foundation has delivered £5,000 to a small City of London charity which operates close to its Cheapside offices and helps young homeless people secure their own accommodation.
St Mary le Bow Young Homeless Charity will use the four-figure sum to help people aged between 19-25 move towards independent living, by helping with deposits and equipment for a place of their own.
The charity, now in its 29th year, is a near neighbour of Aberdeen Standard Investments’ offices in the heart of the city and has benefited from the support of the firm’s Charitable Foundation in the past.
It takes an average of a year working with a homeless person who has come to the charity from the streets and hostels to map the way forward for them. They stay at flats run by the charity which gets them used to living with others and prepares them for them for independent living, and when they are ready, the charity helps them to move into their own flats. A successful apprenticeship scheme run with Pret a Manger often provides a first job, with more than 70% still there after six months. Others fulfil other career goals they thought unattainable - one as a chef, another as a hotel assistant manager and another servicing coffee machines.
Michael Kenny, director of St Mary le Bow Young Homeless Charity, said: “At first glance, our two organisations could hardly be more contrasting – an international global asset management firm and a small London charity – yet Aberdeen Standard Investments, through its Charitable Foundation, has been a generous supporter of our work to help young people move from our flats to independent living on their own.
“These young people simply wouldn’t be able to save or raise the money needed for deposits and equipment and starting up in their own places, so we are extremely grateful to the Charitable Foundation for the support they provide. Aberdeen Standard Investments has been a great neighbour to us.”
Claire Drummond, head of charitable giving for Aberdeen Standard Investments, added: “Investing back into the communities where we have a presence is at the core of our Charitable Foundation aims and we are pleased to continue our relationship with this small but very valuable charity. It operates nearby our City of London office, and helps prepare homeless young people for independent living.”
Aberdeen Standard Investments Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact. It encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects. For more information visit
http://aboutus.aberdeen-asset.com/en/aboutus/responsible-business/aberdeen-charitable