EMBRACE receives no ongoing core funding and values the support of members and interested parties as it seeks to equip the church to understand and respond to the situation for minority-ethnic people, and also as it acts in practical ways to meet particular requests for assistance.

We are indebted to those who have supported the work of EMBRACE through their donations. As a voluntary organisation, the preparation of many materials and the general administration of the office could not be done without the support received in this way. If you would like to make a donation to EMBRACE please contact us, or click below.

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Emergency Fund

The Emergency Fund is used to provide vital emergency assistance to destitute migrant workers and people seeking asylum where no other means of support, either statutory or charitable, is available. Money raised by this fund has been used in a number of ways. Examples include:

• Helping others off the streets by the payment of a few nights hostel fees where no other funds were available.
• Assisting destitute foreign nationals who have needed to return home urgently, and sending on the belongings of people who have been removed to their own country following detention at the end of their asylum cases. When there is no reason to stay and no other means of returning, help may be provided to allow someone to return to their home country.
• Assistance may be given to provide food as a short-term stop gap whilst a longer term solution is established.
• The introduction of Universal Credit means that when people seeking asylum get Leave to Remain in the UK, they have to wait for over a month before they receive any benefits. This can mean moving into accommodation without electricity and relying solely on Food-banks to eat for many weeks. The Emergency Fund can help destitute asylum seekers during this transition period.
• The Fund has also been used to providing initial heating and electricity for Syrian resettlement refugee families arriving into NI.

All support given is subject to meeting a set of criteria – these must be met before funds are released. If you would like information on these criteria please contact our office. In every case we do not work directly with individuals but by referral from reputable groups such as homelessness or refugee charities. All support provided by the Emergency Fund is delivered through agencies such as NICRAS (Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers) and the Belfast Migrant Centre.

If you would like to give to this fund please contact us, or click below.