The CEO of the Midlands Simon Community Tony O’Riordan says there has been an unprecedented demand for their services, and those of other local agencies and the local authority.
According to Mr O’Riordan, there has been a 15 per cent increase in the numbers approaching the housing and homeless charity looking for help. Locally, Simon works with 150 people at any one time.
Nationally, Simon Communities of Ireland say that up to 7,000 people will have spent Christmas Day in emergency accommodation this year.
Launching their annual report last Wednesday, Simon Communities of Ireland reported an increase of 26 per cent in the number of people seeking help from their services over a two-year period.
The charity deliver support and services to 8,300 people and families who experience or are at risk of homelessness on an annual basis.
Speaking at the launch, national spokesperson for the Simon Communities in Ireland, Niamh Randall, said that 2016 had seen some improvements with people moving on to tenancies, yet the homelessness numbers continued to escalate.
“Today we are reporting the number of people we worked with increased to 8,300 people, this is an increase of more than a quarter in a two-year period as the crisis intensified. Despite some movement out of homelessness the numbers in emergency accommodation continued to rise nationally to almost 7,000 men, women and children in 2016. These numbers represent someone’s son or daughter, someone’s sister or brother, someone’s friend or neighbour, and the Simon Communities saw the devastating impact of this crisis each and every day this year across the country.”
CEO of the Midlands Simon, Tony O’Riordan, thanked members of the public, local businesses, schools, and community groups for the wonderful support they have given to the charity throughout 2016.
“Without your support, we simply would not have been able to provide homeless support services in counties Westmeath, Longford, Offaly, and Laois this year. It really is fantastic and encouraging to see local communities support a local organisation. Thank you so much for your help,” he said.
