​Green businesses needed to assist local social venture helping homeless

Socialbox biz, a social business venture located in London, has launched a Laptops for the Homeless Support Initiative that oversees the handover of working laptops to those in need, registered with accommodation services. To make it all possible, Socialbox.biz is calling on green businesses to step up and consider donating to the cause.

The initiative has already donated 150 refurbished laptops to Thames Reach homelessness charity.

The goal is to collect 1,000 laptops by 2020, which will be distributed by homelessness charity Thames Reach to the people using its services. In order to apply for jobs, reconnect with family and friends, and have an online presence today, people need access to laptops.

SocialBox.Biz’s Peter Paduh said: “It’s about bettering our communities and societies by taking laptops some view as redundant and giving them to the people who need them the most. We are leveraging Twitter as a tool to make this possible for us. Please consider re-tweeting our updates to your business community.”

Jeremy Swain, Chief Executive of Thames Reach, said: “These laptops will give the homeless and marginalised people who receive them the opportunity to communicate with friends and relatives, develop new interests, and access advice to improve their skills and employment prospects.”

Yussuf Omar, who experienced homelessness, but is now housed and learning about computers at IT sessions run at Thames Reach’s Employment Academy in the London Borough of Southwark, is one of the laptop recipients. He said: “I’ve never had a computer before, so getting a laptop has been great for me, helping me with my personal development.”

To participate contact:

info (at) socialbox.biz

https://www.socialbox.biz/contact-us/

The initiative has had quite a few prominent business leaders tweet out about their project already. They are looking to kick-start a twitter social media campaign to help them reach more businesses.

To ReTweet about the initiative visit their twitter page:

https://twitter.com/SocialBoxBiz

Notes for Editors

For more pictures, figures and quotes visit;

https://www.socialbox.biz/laptops-for-homless-support-event/

For more information on SocialBox.Biz’s impact on local communities, visit www.socialbox.biz.

Thames Reach is one of the UK’s leading homelessness charities. Its vision is to end street homelessness and its mission is to provide decent homes, encourage supportive relationships and help people lead fulfilling lives.

Thames Reach runs a range of services in London including street outreach services helping people sleeping rough escape homelessness, a variety of hostels and supported housing projects, and schemes which prevent homelessness and help people develop new skills, re-engage with family and friends, and get back into work.

It runs the Employment academy in Camberwell which helps unemployed and economically disadvantaged people find work. http://www.employmentacademy.org.uk

Thames Reach works closely with local communities to ensure that it contributes to improving neighbourhoods and meeting local need.

See www.thamesreach.org.uk

For further details contact Thames Reach communications manager, Mike Nicholas, 0203 664 9562.

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