If you are an individual in need of support, please visit ACO member Turn2us who can help you search for a grant.
Please visit our Member Directory for more details about all grant-making charities and benevolent funds who are members of ACO.
Why an awareness campaign?
One Day Changes Lives is a new national awareness campaign to raise public awareness of the impact grant-making charities and benevolent funds have on society, and the services they can offer.
People have heard of the big-name charities, but many are unaware of the 100s of charities that exist throughout the UK to help in times of need when an unexpected or life-changing crisis arises. People also often do not realise they are eligible for support from these charities, and how simple it is to apply. This campaign aims to change this so more know of and benefit from the support our member charities provide.
This day will also show the nation the overall impact ACO charities have. While an individual act of benevolence may seem small, such as providing a grant for a new fridge, this can have a huge impact on a beneficiary’s life. Together individual acts by ACO members can amount to a colossal positive impact on society.
What are benevolent funds and grant-giving charities?
These charities provide support to individuals in need by giving financial grants. Grant applications are judged on a case by case basis and are given in a wide range of circumstances, including:
- Emergency repairs to homes or to repair/replace white goods that the applicant otherwise could not afford.
- Help with living costs when someone cannot work unexpectedly due to illness, disability, caring responsibilities or redundancy.
- To pay unexpected bills or pay for gas and electricity meter top-ups.
- Paying for home adaptions when someone is suddenly diagnosed with a life-changing illness or disability.
- Help with childcare costs, including school materials and uniforms to keep family life going.
- Supporting those in work on low incomes, such as apprentices or those on zero-hours contracts.
- Helping those that cannot access benefits, are facing sanctions or are trying to apply for Universal Credit.
Each charity has its own eligibility requirements. In most cases they only require that the applicant, or one of their family, has ever worked in a certain career, or was a member of a certain group, to be eligible. ACO has a huge range of member charities that support people from engineers and nurses to retail staff and entertainers.
Help does not stop at grants
Most grant-giving charities do not just give grants but have a range of services to help people get back on their feet. This includes:
- Mental health and counseling services
- Debt and money-management advice
- Training and back-to-work support.
- Legal advice, benefits advice and career support.
- Bringing people with shared experiences together.
- Befriending services to combat loneliness
Get involved on 22 January!
On 22 January charities across the nation will be coming together and sharing stories across social media of where they have helped change someone's life using the hashtag #OneDayChangesLives, with stories also shared in the national press.
Follow @ACObenevolence to follow our campaign. We also encourage members of the public who have ever been helped by grant-giving charities to take part and share their stories using the hashtag #OneDayChangesLives on the day.
For more information about One Day Changes Lives, or if you wish to feature about the day in any publication, please contact hannah@aco.uk.net.
With thanks to our members that supported the campaign
ABTA Lifeline Architects Benevolent Society B&CE's Charitable Trust Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation
BDA Benevolent Fund Benenden Charitable Trust Buttle UK CABA The Care Workers Charity
Chemists' Community Fund CIMA Benevolent Fund Clergy Support Trust Dance Professionals Fund
Family Fund Foothold Friends of the Elderly The Furniture Makers' Company Glasspool Charity Trust GroceryAid
Help Musicians UK Hospital Saturday Fund ICE Benevolent Fund iProvision Licensed Trade Charity
LionHeart Masonic Charitable Foundation Merchant Navy Welfare Board The NCC Benevolent Fund
NewstrAid Perennial Pharmacist Support PRS Members' Fund Racing Welfare Royal Alfred Seafarers' Society
Royal Variety Charity ScotsCare Shipwrecked Mariners' Society Smallwood Trust The Stock Exchange Benevolent Fund
Support Network The Benevolent, the Drinks Industry Charity The Charity for Civil Servants The Insurance Charities
The Queen's Nursing Institute Railway Benefit Fund The Salespeople's Charity Turn2us Wimbledon Guild