Let's Find Sam

Sam was 20 and living rough for three years in Manchester when interviewed by the BBC in December 2018. Since then we have worried that he was just one-day news and he is still homeless

Who is Sam? | Why are trying to find him?

We don’t know who Sam is

We want to find out who Sam is, how he is and where he is

The BBC article about Sam was the initial inspiration for a charity concept linked to Fiveola that will work to eradicate homelessness in Greater Manchester

Sam will be unaware that his plight gave us the idea for Thanks Ethan!, named in remembrance of our co-founder, Ethan, who passed away at the young age of 24 in June 2018

Sam told the BBC, "It's very, very tough, very cold," as he walked into the lobby of a centre for young homeless people in Manchester

As the temperature dips towards freezing, he needs a bed for the night

On and off, he says, he's been homeless for nine years, after a family breakdown, between hostels, friends' sofas and, too often, the streets

It's increasingly hard for young people like Sam to find places to rent, according to the charity Centrepoint

In the lobby, a display board shows no hostel spaces available in the whole of Manchester - it takes hours, until well into the evening, before the team finds him somewhere to stay

The next day he will be back, hoping for longer-term accommodation, hoping to avoid more winter nights sleeping rough

"The best thing to do is to keep warm, wear as many layers as you can and to remember to stay somewhere hidden, not in a doorway where you can get easily targeted by people

"I don't go in a doorway myself. I go somewhere out of the way and then get up early

"Sam spends his days walking around central Manchester, on cold days the Arndale Shopping Centre is a good place to keep warm

His passions are music and football, but there is little chance of him pursuing any career while his accommodation is so unstable

Let’s Find Sam!

Sam’s life is worth more than this - we want to find him and bring him into our business, and the charity operations. Sam is the conduit between Thanks Ethan! and the ever-increasing number of rough sleepers and homeless in Greater Manchester

If you are Sam, or know Sam, or know where he is today then we would like to be in contact with him. Nine days on the streets, especially in the cold months is far too long – Sam’s nine years at his young age is sad and wholly unacceptable

We want to support Sam and his friends and associates on the pavements and doorways of Manchester and surrounding areas

If you have any information about Sam, we would love to hear from you via the contact form

Full BBC article to be found here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-46555654

Thanks for buying Sam a Ko-Fi