Despite only being officially registered as a charity organisation on June 24th this year, Hope Hill Foundation has aided over 280 people in and around Greater Manchester.
The charity organisation founded by Elaine Amankwah, 31, originally from London but currently resides in Oldham, specialises in providing basic necessities to babies, children, pregnant women& families in need in both the UK and overseas in Ghana.
However, Elaine, a mental health nurse, found an unexpected demand for supplies within Salford after the unexpected coronavirus pandemic.
She says: “I never had plans to go to Salford because I’m based in Shaw so its a good 35-minute drive then I started getting calls from families, single moms in Salford. I just kept getting calls and calls and I was like wow, where are all these people in Salford.
“My original plan was for Oldham and then parts of East of Manchester because they are accessible but I’ve ended up in Salford as there seems to be, especially in the BAME [Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic] community, a demand”.
The organisation recently received funding from Forever Manchester who has delivered over 2.5 million in funding to community groups during the coronavirus outbreak.
“This thing with the coronavirus is I have no idea when it is going to decide to get better, things are getting worse. I have a family I support that have lost their jobs. The wife is ill. There’s so much catastrophe going on”
Manchester Central Foodbank reports that Black, Asian And minority ethnic are twice as likely to be living in poverty.
Elaine has expressed her aim to focus her help on BAME communities in around Greater Manchester, a community she finds shies away from help.
She says: “I think I’m looking for more funding specifically for the BAME community because the thing is we are marginalised and the BAME community don’t often come out and seek help.
“We’re not a group that seeks for help often, we’ll try and find this and find that and you exhaust every other avenue instead of asking for help.
“I remember I was on the phone with a lady, it was quite hilarious, and her husband was in the back shouting “put the phone down, we don’t need, we don’t need it”, and they did and he was like “this is embarrassing” but it’s not”.
Though only being officially registered for a couple of months, Elaine has plans for the future of creating a community hub where those in need can come and seek the help they need.
@4EVERManchester has helped us help various people in our communities! Today we delivered to families in #Rochdale #Middleton #Salford #Oldham & #Gorton! The new mums were extremely grateful for the support! Thank you @4EVERManchester pic.twitter.com/VHTSKeCj1M
— hopehillfoundation (@hopehillfounda2) October 6, 2020
She says: “In the next 5 years, I’m hoping to have maybe an official place or a little warehouse or something like that with all these items because my house is always full of items to give to people.
She continues: “And have a safe zone to come, especially the BAME community.
“Because I think what drives me a lot is that I am very big on mental health and especially with the BAME community. It’s about having that person who understands and having a safe zone to come to”.
If you know anyone in Salford or Greater Manchester who needs assistance from Hope Hill Foundation or would like to get in touch with Hope Hill Foundation please visit their website or their Facebook or Twitter. If you would like to contact Elaine personally, call her on 07754034714 or email.
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