Putting a coherent strategy around charitable giving can be an important part of an individual’s Wealth Plan. If giving strategies are among actionable priorities, it is important to identify tax-efficient ways to achieve your charitable objectives.
There are often two primary reasons why people give to charities:
(1) To support a cause or organisation about
which they care
(2) To leave a legacy through their support.
Whilst charitable giving often forms part of an individual’s estate planning objectives, some also give during their lifetime by transferring a sum of money thus removing it from their estate.
There are many different methods by which an individual can give. One way is by maximising the potential tax benefit and thereby ultimately gifting more.
Ways To Give
Before exploring optimal strategies for US persons living in the UK, it would be good to review some of the different ways to give to charity.
(1) Give directly - This approach is the most
straightforward and simple. It involves donating money directly to a charitable organisation of your choice. Any tax benefit is received in the same year in which the donation is made.
(2) Use insurance as a vehicle for gift-giving – If you do not have large sums of money to give during your lifetime and you hold a life insurance policy that is not needed for other important purposes, you could consider naming a charitable organisation as your policy beneficiary. This could result in a larger gift than you otherwise would have been able to make and potentially creates a longer-term legacy. However, serious thought must be given to this method and you should seek guidance from a financial adviser before any steps are taken. Even though the policy may be redundant in terms of the purpose for which it was originally taken out, there may be valuable benefits attached of which you are not immediately aware.
(3) Volunteer time – Giving is not always about money. It can also be about getting involved by giving your time. Many organisations need volunteers to
help deliver on their charitable goals. This can be a way to establish a personal connection and give in ways that require little or no money changing hands.
(4) Establish a trust to give money - This is a longer-term approach towards charitable giving. It will allow you to receive tax benefits today on funds allocated specifically for charitable giving, but actual donations may be made at a future point in time. This may be a strategy for people who are asset rich but time poor and have not been able to decide to which causes they want to donate.
A Donor Advised Fund is one type of vehicle that facilitates the giving strategy. Donor Advised Funds have increased in popularity over the last few years due to their offering of administrative convenience, cost savings and tax benefits.
What Is A Donor Advised Fund?
A Donor Advised Fund, or DAF, is a charitable investment fund, administered by a public charity, that is formed for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organisations on behalf of an individual, a family or an organisation. It allows donors to make an irrevocable charitable contribution, receive a tax benefit immediately and then allocate charitable gifts from the fund at some point in the future. Gifts are made to a specified charity whenever they decide it is the appropriate time. While the gifts remain inside the fund, they are invested with an eye to grow the balance.
What Are The Benefits
Of A Donor Advised
Fund?
DAFs have a number of benefits. First, a DAF is a cost-effective way for donors to maximise the tax benefits of making charitable donations to causes about which they care. A DAF can be set up with a relatively small amount of money (as little as £1,000 or £5,000) so an individual can choose to donate a lump sum or make small contributions in regular intervals over time.
DAFs have relatively few administrative responsibilities. There is generally minimal paperwork that needs to be completed, and
quite often grants can be made directly online.
Additionally, DAFs are not subject to the minimum payout requirement each year. Private foundations, for example, must distribute at least 5% of assets annually. The fact that DAFs are not subject to this requirement leads to more flexibility on timing
of distributions.
Another benefit of DAFs is that when donors
decide to make a donation from the funds held within their DAF, it is possible to choose whether their donation is made anonymously, or if their personal details are disclosed to the donee.
One of the benefits that a DAF offers is not only the ability to receive a tax benefit upon funding the DAF but the ability to invest the pool of money and choose an organisation to donate to at a point in the future. So, if an individual can benefit from funding a DAF today but has not had time to decide which cause they would like to receive their gift, a DAF provides a mechanism to make that feasible.
Under current US tax law and practice, when donating to a US qualified charity ((a 501(c) (3) organisation), an individual can receive a US income tax deduction if they itemise their deductions as opposed to claiming the standard deduction. Under the new tax reforms and the higher thresholds for itemising deductions that have come into effect this year, making charitable contributions in lumps can potentially provide a greater benefit than in previous years. So, for example, if a 37% taxpayer contributes the equivalent of £100,000 into a US qualified DAF, the donation will receive a tax deduction of up to £37,000.
Similarly, when donating to a UK charity, currently the donation will qualify for UK income tax relief. In addition, the donation should qualify for UK Gift Aid which will increase the value of your donation by 25%. So, for example, if a 45% rate individual taxpayer contributes £100,000 to a UK qualified DAF, the donation with Gift Aid will be £125,000 and your additional claim back from HMRC would be £31,250.
How Can A Dual-Qualified Donor Advised Fund Be Beneficial For Americans Living In The UK?
Many charitable organisations are considered to be qualified non-profit organisations in one jurisdiction or the other. As a result, giving directly to charities in either the US or the UK will often result in a tax benefit in only one country.
As Americans living in the UK are generally subject to income tax in both the UK and the US, there are advantages to ensuring that you receive a tax benefit in both jurisdictions for the dollars that you donate.
A dual qualified DAF allows individuals who are taxpayers in both the US and UK to receive tax benefits available in both countries. As such a dual qualified structure will ultimately allow the individual to allocate more money to their favoured charitable causes. Once the money has been donated to the dual qualified structure, it can then be directed towards charitable organisations and causes around the world without the need for the organisation itself to be dual qualified.
Identifying An
Appropriate Donor
Advised Fund Provider
Awareness of DAFs and their rising popularity seems likely to continue as more people reach retirement and look for ways in which to give away some of their wealth in a tax efficient manner.
There are a number of charitable organisations that will facilitate dual-qualified DAFs. A few of the organisations are listed below:
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
SharedImpact
Prism the Gift Fund
National Philanthropic Trust (NPT-UK)
When deciding which organisation to establish a DAF with, it can be important to identify one that ultimately aligns with your own interests and values. Each charity has their own cost structure, investment options, minimum contribution requirements and account balances and varying ability to transfer the account to another institution. As the organisation will be trustee over the donated assets, the donor should make sure that the organisation will help facilitate their giving in the manner with which they agree.
While charitable giving is not all about receiving a tax benefit, we know that we are often limited in the amount we can give and would like to be able to give more if we had the ability to do so. Giving in a way that maximises the benefit to both the charity and the donor will help ensure that more assets ultimately reach the causes about which we personally care. Utilising a dual qualified DAF is one way to help facilitate this strategy and should be considered when assessing your charitable giving objectives.
Andrea Solana is Head of Advanced Planning at MASECO Private Wealth
where she helps to provide financial planning and wealth structuring
advisory services to US expatriates in the UK and British nationals in
the US. Before joining MASECO, Andrea spent the first part of her career
with a well-known Washington DC based international tax and global
wealth management firm where she gained considerable experience advising
high net worth individuals with multi-jurisdictional financial
interests to design and implement strategies for tax-efficient and
risk-managed asset growth. She has written numerous white papers
regarding fundamental financial planning and investment strategies for
US connected individuals and has previously been a speaker on financial
planning topics at numerous places including both The World Bank and
International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Andrea graduated from University of Virginia’s McIntire School of
Commerce with a degree in Finance and Management and completed her MBA
at Imperial College London.
Visit www.masecoprivatewealth.com for further information.
Risk Warnings And
Important Information
MASECO LLP (trading as MASECO Private Wealth and MASECO Institutional) is registered in England and Wales (Companies
House No. OC337650) and has its registered office at Burleigh House, 357 Strand, London WC2R 0HS.
MASECO LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the conduct of investment business in the UK and is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor in the United States of America.
This article does not take into account the specific goals or requirements of individuals and is not intended to be, nor should be construed as, investment or tax advice. Information contained in this article is based on MASECO’s understanding of current tax law and legislation, however, MASECO Private Wealth is not a tax specialist. You should carefully consider the suitability of any strategies along with your financial situation prior to making any decisions on an appropriate strategy. We strongly recommend that every client seeks their own tax advice prior to acting on any of the strategies described in this document.
Our final fling in the United States was a six- thousand-mile cross-country adventure with our four children and two dogs. Epic doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was AWESOME. We wiggled our way from West to East and ended up in New York one day before we left forever. But that’s a story for another time.
We are naturalised Americans who lived in Reno, Nevada for ten years. Before that, we lived in France and Russia for many years. And before that, Britain, where we were born and raised. When we made the decision to move “back” to Britain, it didn’t feel like that at all. Meaning we had been away for so long that it felt as if we were moving, yet again, to a foreign country. And we were right. The question everyone asked us when we told them of our plans was, but WHY?
Why indeed. There were lots of reasons. I stopped working for a Silicon Valley marketing company a year before we left and had no interest in finding a similar job in Reno or anywhere else. Our children were all British but had never lived in Britain. Our parents, who were in Britain, were in poor health and we wanted to be near them. And we were homesick. Even so, it was a very difficult decision. We loved our home and life in Reno and we had no real idea of what we might do in Britain. The last year in Reno was the most fabulous ever, which made it even harder to leave. I spent more time with my children, rode my horses, volunteered as a 4-H leader, did a spot of consulting, and planned our move.
In retrospect, the decision to spend six weeks travelling across America was wise. Eight of us, including the two huge dogs, living in an albeit good-sized trailer, was excellent preparation for moving into my mother’s house in Wales. The house, quite large for Britain, was a shock to the system for the kids. That and having only one bathroom between all of us. Steve and I chuckled on more than one occasion at a disgruntled teenager sulkily waiting their turn in the hallway.
But it was lovely to be in Britain. It was all so new and exciting, yet familiar. It was easy to settle in apart from the nightmare first month. We had no belongings, no credit history, no past UK address and no internet. Every single service I called told me “just go online...” Funny looking back, but not so amusing at the time.
Then I got homesick for Reno. I still am. I miss my home and life, for sure, but it is more than that. I miss the wide-open spaces and guaranteed sunny weather. I miss the encouragement and enthusiasm of my American friends (thank heavens for Facebook). I miss that lending your car to a friend is normal. Why ARE British people so special about their cars? And I miss the easiness of living. High speed internet. Showers that work. Mixer taps. That my clothes dried quickly inside the house in winter. That my home was easy to clean, warm in winter and cool in summer. That I didn’t wallow in mud when I fed my animals. It’s not that you can’t be comfortable in Britain; but complaining about any discomfort is likely to elicit an eye roll from a proper Brit. There’s no place for softies here. I joke half-seriously that Brits don’t consider they’re really living unless there’s a bit of hardship involved. “Mustn’t grumble”, “can’t complain”, is a way of life.
We’ve settled here happily, even if part of me is still in Reno. I feel more of a connection for The Biggest Little City than anywhere else I have lived. Perhaps it’s true that if you travel
and live in different countries you are never completely content anywhere ever again. This makes me sad but also secretly pleased that, truly, I have another country I consider home. Did we really leave forever? We have no plans to move back any time soon, but never say never. I cannot imagine NOT going back to the US at some point.
Oh yes, we found a way to support our life here, too. During our last year in the United States, we had a germ of an idea to start up a glamping (so-called glamorous camping) business in Britain. So, we did it. Within six months of moving back we found a property in Shropshire and set up Barnutopia. Steve’s practical skills and my marketing skills have proved to be a winning combination. Our gorgeous rural location with stunning views in every direction helps a bit, too. You can see us and our glamping site on ITV’s Give It A Year (find it here) with Baroness Karren Brady.
Please feel free to drop in and say hi sometime. We’d love to see a friendly face from across the pond.
About Barnutopia
Barnutopia is a glamping, wedding and event venue in the Shropshire countryside. The site offers a glamorous camping experience for guests who love the outdoors but prefer the comforts of home. Since opening in 2015, it has earned over one hundred and seventy 5-star reviews from satisfied guests. For more information visit www.barnutopia.com.
Back in April I was lucky enough to participate in a site visit to the Collateral Repair Project (CRP) in Amman, Jordan, with 22 other American ladies from the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO). The FAWCO Foundation’s current two-year Target Project, called Hope Beyond Displacement, is providing funds directly to CRP, a grass roots effort to bring much-needed assistance to refugees - those commonly referred to as ‘collateral damage.’ Our mission was to see the programmes we are funding and bear witness to the stories of the refugees served. Two other American ladies from FAWCO Region 1 – currently living in Edinburgh and Dublin – met me at Heathrow (after the long drive down from my home near Birmingham) to board the flight to Amman. We weren’t fully prepared for what we would see and hear.
According to UNHCR, Jordan hosts the second-largest refugee population in the world and about 80% of the refugees live outside of UN-funded camps. They are called ‘urban refugees’ and this population in Amman consists mainly of those who have fled Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan. With few exceptions, refugees are not legally allowed to work in Jordan. For these people, CRP extends lifelines such as food vouchers, English classes, children’s programmes, skills training, trauma relief and women’s empowerment.
Amanda Lane, Executive Director of CRP and American expat, told me about the refugee population in Jordan and how CRP has been able to build community services to help them in Amman:
“Less than 1% of the people that apply... get resettled. It’s interesting because when I go to Europe, people are like, ‘Yes, we have some refugees here.’ Actually, you really don’t. In Jordan, one in every ten people is a refugee and Lebanon one in every four. Yes, the reality is the vast majority of refugees are here in these primary host countries...It’s actually much more cost-effective to help people here because the vast majority of them are going to be staying here”.
“What has changed in the past five years is that we’ve really been consistently growing. Whereas we were feeding about 15 families right now, in the past month we fed over 400 families. We have a lot more self-care and wellness programming that fits into helping people to heal from trauma. We have a computer lab and lots of computer classes. We also have an after-school club for kids that takes place every day”.
Amanda lives in Amman with her Jordanian husband, Samer, and their two children. Her story began the same way as many Americans living in Britain: she met a man from another country, fell in love, got married, had kids, and in her words, ‘got sidetracked.’
“We were living in Seattle for about six years, and then we decided to come back [to Jordan]. It was actually me who pulled us back more than my husband because I really wanted my kids to feel like they could relate to half of their heritage, or to be able to relate to being Arab, and to be able to learn Arabic as well”.
I asked Amanda about the challenges of
Lunch at CRP - Collateral Repair Project
being an American living in Jordan and raising children abroad. I explained that I know many expat women in Britain who feel that they are trying to raise children between two different countries. She said:
“I don’t feel I’m raising them between countries much anymore. I think they’re comfortable wherever. I don’t feel like it’s a challenge. We certainly live, like many expat families, in a weird middle place. It’s really weird to me because I grew up in southern Ohio and never left, until I was out of college, really”.
Expats Jason and Judy Wilson knew Amanda and her husband and jumped at the chance to move to Amman to work for CRP. Jason is now the Director of Data and Marketing at CRP and Judy is the Director of Grants and Communications. Jason explained how they got back to Jordan, a country they had fallen in love with during previous travels:
“Amanda was in town, she came to Seattle for a [CRP] fund-raising trip and she met up with us just to say ‘hi’ and have some coffee, and that’s when she asked, ‘Do you want to come help with this?’ We had said if we had ever had the opportunity to live in Amman, we should do it and then, this opportunity to come and use our talents to help these people appeared... I’ve never worked harder, been paid less or been happier in my entire life!”.
Jason left his job as a data analyst to help modernise processes at CRP. He explained:
“Our challenge is we’re trying to do a lot, we’re trying to keep track of everything that we’re doing, and understand it, build out a measurement and evaluation practice, build out a better way to track people who are receiving our food vouchers, and our programmes. A couple of years ago, this was literally all being done on paper. What I’ve been trying to do is put together a technology stack using software that is available. I’m still working on a way to develop a pipeline of interns or volunteers who have the hard skills that we really need for this”.
The site visit to CRP was the first of its kind to support FAWCO’s Target Project programme. FAWCO’s funding is specifically used for the SuperGirls after school programme, women’s vocational training, the Women’s Empowerment 101 programme, and a men’s gender-based violence prevention course. We learned so much more about why grassroots programmes are vital by being on the ground in Jordan than we ever would by watching news reports or documentaries. We knew there would be heartbreaking stories shared, but there was no preparation to keep the tears from flowing as we were told of one impossible, horrific personal experience after another. We had no idea that so many of the refugees had stopped living their lives completely, i.e. not working, not sending their children to school, etc., or that they feel just as hopeless now as they did when they made the decision to flee dangerous conflict zones.
During our visit, one of the beneficiaries, Sara*, had asked to share her story with us.
After explaining that she and her family had left the ‘hell’ of one of the largest refugee camps in the world, without any national identity papers for herself or her family, she became too upset to finish her story. Jason Wilson, Director of Data and Marketing at CRP, later filled in the gaps during our interview:
[Sara’s father] is from Syria and he was involved very early on when the [Arab Spring] protests began. He’s a lawyer and he advocated for the young men who had been charged. As a result of his defense of these young men, his family was targeted by the regime. They were attacked.
His young daughter [Sara’s younger sister] was alone in the home and they dropped a bomb on his house. His daughter was grievously injured, they ended up having to flee in the night. They went to a hospital. Many of the hospitals wouldn’t take them in, because the government was searching for their family. They finally found a hospital to help stabilise the daughter and then, in the middle of the night, someone from the hospital came and said, ‘They’re here. They’re looking for you. You need to go.’
His daughter was in a coma, he put her over his shoulder and they ended up crossing from Syria into Jordan, being pursued. When Amanda and CRP ended up finding them, they were living under a bridge in winter with no proper clothing and they had no options. Their daughter was still unconscious. CRP was
able to find some medical help and support for them. The daughter lived and they really started to build their life here.
Sara’s parents and sister now live in the UK. Sara, her husband and two young children hope to be allowed to join them one day.
*Name has been changed.
Many of us who are members of FAWCO-affiliated American Women’s Clubs in the UK are happy to fundraise for local British charities, but we sometimes lose sight of the work FAWCO is doing in the name of American women all over the world. The programmes and assistance offered by CRP helps refugees to start living again by building a community on shared experiences that transcends race, religion or political leanings. The beneficiaries of these programmes were excited to share their progress with us and stressed how they have found dignity again by helping others at the centre. They want people in the UK and all over the world to know what has happened to them and what challenges they continue to face. They were incredibly welcoming, resilient women who were happy to cook their favourite dishes and share them with us. Every expat knows how comforting tastes of home can be!
Santa Fe Relocation recently partnered with author and expatriate coach Katia Vlachos, on the launch of her new book ‘A Great Move’. Based upon years of research and compelling data, the book takes readers through all elements of their relocation journey, examining key principles and a step-by-step process that help people navigate this exciting, and sometimes stressful, time. Stimulating real life experiences are also shared allowing readers to more objectively view their own emotional changes that may come with the experience.
Neil Bothams, CEO Europe and APAC at Santa Fe, shares how the ideas presented have helped him personally to think at a deeper level about the other emotional elements of moving, such as the views of accompanying spouses and family members. Neil also happens to be in the process of relocating his own family from London to Singapore.
Neil states “At Santa Fe Relocation, we enhance the customer experience better when we can understand the emotional journey of our expat customers. I am currently living through this experience with my own family as we prepare to move to Asia in the next few weeks."
Viewing the expatriate experience holistically from initiation to repatriation, is our approach at Santa Fe Relocation. We have unique and comprehensive assignment management expertise that can provide support for all or any part of the relocation process. Our thought leadership in the industry includes learnings from our award-winning services and our Global Mobility Survey, which is one of the largest surveys conducted in Relocation.
Santa Fe’s global footprint includes 97 offices in 46 countries and allows us to leverage unsurpassed local knowledge with a global mindset no matter where in the world people are moving. Our purpose is to help people and organisations thrive in new places around the world. The content in ‘A Great Move’ is truly value-added for people who are already expats or considering opportunities to move abroad.
For more information on how we support expatriate assignments as well as relevant articles and tips for those living abroad, visit us at santaferelo.com.
A Great Move: Surviving and thriving in your expat assignment is published by LID Publishing Ltd, ISBN 9781911498605 and available from online at agreatmovebook.com, Amazon and all booksellers.
With the summer season nearly upon us, we thought we would introduce you to some of the partners we have worked with over the years, who will be able to help you, your friends, family and/or colleagues with any accommodation solutions. We are delighted to offer a range of residences including Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, Residence Inn London Kensington, Your Apartment and Premier Suites.
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LONDON AT TRINITY SQUARE IS PLEASED TO OFFER TEN NEW LUXURY RESIDENCES, PERFECT FOR AN EXTENDED HOLIDAY OR SHORT-TERM RENTAL STAY IN LONDON
Set in the heart of the City of London, just 20 minutes from City Airport and within easy access of underground and rail networks, Ten Trinity Square is a prime location for business or leisure. The residences feature open-plan living areas, dining rooms, fully equipped kitchens and up to four bedrooms, with standout accommodations offering extensive private terraces with stunning views overlooking the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
Located between the third and seventh floors of Ten Trinity Square, the spacious and well-appointed residences offer all the comfort and convenience of the Four Seasons Hotel, with the added privacy of a dedicated entrance. As a guest of the residences, you’ll enjoy full access to the five-star services and facilities including Michelin starred French restaurant La Dame de Pic London, Asian restaurant Mei Ume and the Rotunda Bar and Lounge; the setting for the Hotel's traditional afternoon tea. Other services include in-room dining, concierge, a luxurious spa with state-of-the-art fitness centre and indoor pool, Gielly Green Hair Salon and elegant event spaces. You will also be eligible for exclusive access to the Ten Trinity Square Private Club for the duration of your stay. The members-only venue offers a variety of spaces for meetings or social gatherings as well as several dining options, a Chateau Latour tasting room, members’ bar and cigar sampling lounge.
RESIDENCE INN LONDON KENSINGTON - OPENING SUMMER 2018
Located in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, the capital’s newest and Europe’s largest Residence Inn will start welcoming guests this July.
Conveniently located between West Kensington and Earl’s Court tube stations, with many of the city’s iconic sites and visitor attractions on our doorstep, the Residence Inn London - Kensington provides the ideal base to explore London. From the shopping Meccas of Harrods and High Street Kensington to the cultural delights of the V&A Museum and Kensington Palace, the capital’s most popular cultural attractions are all within easy reach.
And for those travelling on business, we’re just a 10-minute walk from the Kensington Olympic Exhibition Centre and an easy tube journey into the City. However, with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel plus a 24-hour business centre and weekly after-work mingling through our Residence Inn Mix socials, we make it easy to stay connected.
Whether you’re looking to stay for a couple of nights or want somewhere to call home for a few weeks, we offer a genuine ‘home-from-home’ experience and warm hospitality. All our fully-equipped suites provide more space than a standard hotel room, with a separate bedroom and living area with work space, fully-equipped kitchen plus complimentary hot breakfast. What’s more, with our state-of-the-art gym, cocktail bar, games room, free Wi-Fi, communal laundry facilities and a 24/7 Grab ‘n Go market in the lobby, you can rely on us to help you maximise your stay in London.
Your first thought may be a hotel, but many people are now choosing to stay in fully serviced apartments as they provide a flexible alternative.
Yourapartment.co.uk provide furnished apartments that offer a ‘home from home’ feel with the versatility you can’t get in a hotel.
Flexibility
Some people may like to eat out every day, and that’s fine. But if you are staying for a while, there may be times when you would like to cook an evening meal, or even prepare your own breakfast or lunch, which is where staying in an apartment is ideal. But, if and when you want to eat out, all our apartments are positioned within easy walking distance to local shops, restaurants, cafés, pubs and entertainment.
Hiring a car?
You won’t need to worry about costly parking fees either as all our apartments have a parking space included within the price, so if you are travelling into London you can leave the car and hop on the train, as all our apartments are close to local train or underground stations.
Find out more …
If you are looking for a place to stay in North London, Watford, or Elstree that has all the comforts and amenities you enjoy at home, then click here to find out more and to view our apartments.
Our final fling in the United States was a six- thousand-mile cross-country adventure with our four children and two dogs. Epic doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was AWESOME. We wiggled our way from West to East and ended up in New York one day before we left forever. But that’s a story for another time.
We are naturalised Americans who lived in Reno, Nevada for ten years. Before that, we lived in France and Russia for many years. And before that, Britain, where we were born and raised. When we made the decision to move “back” to Britain, it didn’t feel like that at all. Meaning we had been away for so long that it felt as if we were moving, yet again, to a foreign country. And we were right. The question everyone asked us when we told them of our plans was, but WHY?
Back in April I was lucky enough to participate in a site visit to the Collateral Repair Project (CRP) in Amman, Jordan, with 22 other American ladies from the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO). The FAWCO Foundation’s current two-year Target Project, called Hope Beyond Displacement, is providing funds directly to CRP, a grass roots effort to bring much-needed assistance to refugees - those commonly referred to as ‘collateral damage.’ Our mission was to see the programmes we are funding and bear witness to the stories of the refugees served. Two other American ladies from FAWCO Region 1 – currently living in Edinburgh and Dublin – met me at Heathrow (after the long drive down from my home near Birmingham) to board the flight to Amman. We weren’t fully prepared for what we would see and hear.
“What has changed in the past five years is that we’ve really been consistently growing. Whereas we were feeding about 15 families right now, in the past month we fed over 400 families. We have a lot more self-care and wellness programming that fits into helping people to heal from trauma. We have a computer lab and lots of computer classes. We also have an after-school club for kids that takes place every day”.
Located in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, the capital’s newest and Europe’s largest Residence Inn will start welcoming guests this July.
Your first thought may be a hotel, but many people are now choosing to stay in fully serviced apartments as they provide a flexible alternative.
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