Darlington charity facing constant fight to keep the lights on
First Stop Darlington say there's unprecedented demand for its services
A Darlington charity says they're thankful to people taking part in CEO Sleepout tonight as they desperately need funds to keep the lights on.
More than 20 business leaders are going to be braving the cold tonight to experience what it's like to be homeless.
They will be raising money for local charities who help support people who are in poverty or homeless.
One of those benefitting is First Stop Darlington, who's seen the number of people seeking help from them has risen by 24 percent in the past year.
Tracy Freeman, chief executive, said: "We are a poverty charity – but we are in poverty ourselves.
"Many of these are working-aged families which just a few years ago, we’d simply never see. People are on their knees, but so are those helping them. Funding is drying up because poverty is no longer the shiny new thing – but the need for help has never been greater.”
“Poverty hasn’t gone away, and we are seeing it in all walks of life. In the last year, more older people are also seeking our support in part due to the Winter Fuel Allowance, and a big theme is seeing people who want to live the life they once had before the Cost-of-Living crisis, but no longer have the income to do so.
"People have always been told to save for the rainy day. Well, this is far beyond a rainy day.
"But it is so hard. Understandably people want to give their families the best, but the reality is that this is never going back to the way it was – petrol, utility and food prices won’t shrink – and the strain of life is severely impacting people’s mental health.”