helping the homeless

We’ve been involved in meeting the needs of Edinburgh’s homeless community for many years, and take up the command in the bible to show God’s love and compassion to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Help Cafe & Basics Bank

We are working in partnership with Edinburgh City Mission, Bruntsfield Evangelical Church and other churches in the community to provide practical help, financial guidance for all those in crisis.  Help Cafe runs from 9am – 10am at Bruntsfield Evangelical Church and is for all those who would like breakfast and company. Everyone is welcome.

Basics Bank runs from 11am – 2pm and practical help, financial guidance and basic groceries are available for all those in crisis. If you wish to receive assistance then you need to be referred by a church, external agency, social worker etc – if you don’t know how to go about getting referred or would like to refer somebody then please come in and speak to us and we will assist you.

If you are able to help provide food for this minsitry or are interested in volunteering, or would like help through the Basics Bank, please send us an email.

Oasis Saturday Night Ministry

Oasis is a drop-in facility based at the Greyfriars Kirkhouse on Candlemaker Row, where each Saturday evening, we provide food, shelter and good company for the homeless community in a wam and safe environment.

Oasis is much more than just a soup-kitchen, and really does have an impact on the lives of the men and women who pass through our doors. Along with the wider work of the Grassmarket Mission, our aim is to bring significant and lasting change to our visitors. The Grassmarket Mission is dedicated to getting alongside people who are poor, marginalised, excluded, homeless, struggling with addiction or mental illness. Visit The Grassmarket Mission website here.

** Note that the drop-in facility is currently closed. More information soon. **

FRESH START – supporting the resettlement of the homeless

We’re taking part in a multi-church initiative called FreshStart , which is mainly involved in helping to set up previously homeless people  in new tenancies. Our part in the project is to help collect the essentials that new tenants with no resources need in order to get started, and this involves collecting good quality household items ranging from linen and towels to kitchen utensils, pots and pans.

Anyone can get involved with Fresh Start, and Edinburgh Elim is just one of many churches and other groups supporting this vital outreach. More details on Fresh Start are available from their website – click here

Christmas - Caring Christmas Trees

We suppor the Caring Christmas Trees initiative. By ordering a Caring Christmas Tree your money goes directly towards supporting the Edinburgh Care Shelter which helps keep thousands of homeless people off the street in the winter months. Coming up next December….