Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is coming alongside the charity Community Money Advice (CMA) under the umbrella of a newly formed CAP Group. Find out more and get answers to your questions here.
Working together to end UK poverty
For 30 years, CAP has worked with local churches to bring hope and freedom to those trapped in debt and poverty in the UK, restoring all that it has stolen. In the last three decades, over 35,000 people have become debt free with the support of this church-based movement, which is an incredible outcome.
However, we know that poverty is deepening. There are around eight million adults in the UK trapped in crisis debt.* Now more than ever, free, compassionate, face-to-face debt help is vital to respond to the growing need in the UK.
The newly formed CAP Group
In our next chapter, we’re determined to reach more people struggling with debt and offer the support that can change lives and bring hope. That’s why we’re excited to share that CAP is coming alongside the charity Community Money Advice (CMA) under the umbrella of a newly formed CAP Group. Both will remain as their own independent charity, led by CAP’s existing CEO, Stewart McCulloch, who will become CAP Group CEO.
The CAP Group will mean that we can collaborate to bring hope to more families, as we’ll have a combined network of over 1,000 trained debt advisors, mentors and coaches in 380 centres across the UK. This means more lives reached, more families supported, and more choices for churches that want to partner in this ministry.
While CMA and CAP are two distinctive charities, both have very similar Christian values, serve similar clients and share the same commitment to give compassionate, face-to-face debt help, serving people with integrity and dignity in local communities.
Both CAP and CMA bring unique approaches to serving people in debt and poverty, and those differences are something we’re excited to celebrate. Together under the CAP Group, we can grow into a national movement rooted in church and community, becoming the leading face-to-face debt advice service across the sector. We’ll be able to serve more people, in more places, meeting their individual needs while staying true to the mission and values that matter so much to you.
You might have a few questions about what this means in practice. We’ve answered some of the most common ones below.
Answering your key questions
Although we’re excited about the possibilities of serving more people in the UK through this alliance, the reality is that it will change very little about CAP. CAP will still be its own separate charity, with the same leadership and values. We’ll continue to run all our debt centres through churches that are living out the good news of Jesus in word and action.
We’ll continue to support churches not just in providing debt advice, but by giving holistic care and a welcome into Christian community for those who want it. Income received through CAP’s Life Changers, appeals and campaigns will be kept separate, and any donations to CAP will be for the ministry of CAP. The only exception to this is that some specific funders are giving financially to support this coming together, and their donations have been given explicitly for this purpose.
No. CAP and CMA will remain as separate charities, but joined into one parent group, led by a Group CEO — Stewart McCulloch. This means that money generously given by you to CAP will be used for CAP’s ministry as it always has been.
Jesus first. Always. That is what was in John Kirkby’s heart when he started this mission 30 years ago, and it is at the core of everything we do now. Churches that run debt centres in partnership with CAP share the love of Jesus in word and action, and they will continue to do so.
Still have unanswered questions?
We’d love to help. Send in your questions to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Pray with us
As we step into this next chapter together, we’re grateful for your support, prayers and encouragement. As always, we place this work in God’s hands and trust him to guide the path ahead.
Please join us in the prayer below.
Heavenly Father, we lift up this new chapter for CAP and CMA. We pray for unity and wisdom, helping teams and leaders to use the skills you have given them to collaborate well and learn from each other. Thank you to every worker in local communities and supporters who are bringing light into the darkness and hope to those who need it the most. Please bless this alliance so that it will be a catalyst for change for those of us most vulnerable to debt and poverty in the UK.
Amen.
