Acts 435, the Archbishop of York’s online giving charity, today announced that its 20,000th person in need has been helped.

Since its foundation in 2010 the national charity has increased its activity and reach to over 400 local Advocates based around the U.K. These local Advocates reach out to many in need, from all walks of life; from families in debt who need to be able to buy a bed for their child, to a single person on low income who needs oil to heat their home, travel costs for an asylum seeker to attend appointments, or a homeless man who desperately needs even a small deposit to get off the streets and into a hostel.

The charity has seen much organic growth through its Advocates, but also its donors, who have enabled Acts 435 to double the amount of people helped in just two years, since 2017 marked their 10,000th need met. Jenny Herrera, Acts 435 Executive Director said: “To double the amount of needs met, and people helped, in just two years is extraordinary. It shows the way donors are responding to this cost-effective way of directly meeting real, specific needs of people in UK poverty. It is testament to the way the church is getting on board to help reach those in need who are in these difficult and crisis situations.”

The Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu, said: “I constantly give thanks to God and to all the people involved for their amazing generosity. To think that Acts 435 has helped 20,000 people is truly fantabulous. Be bold and join with Acts 435 to make a transforming difference”.

The 20,000th request was a very poignant, and typical, need. It was for petrol costs for a grandmother in Oxford who had begun to care for her granddaughter full-time and was unable to cope with all the extra expenses. She said: "Thank you for the money you raised for me- it's been such a help as getting her school is involving driving 25 miles a day. £120 to help with petrol costs is making such a difference."